European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Asians abandon Gorbachev russian president Boris Yeltsin left and soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev right Are the major protagonists in drama unfolding in the soviet  atomic arms unsettle nato Brussels Belgium a nato defense ministers Friday urged the soviet Union and its republics to make sure the crumbling superpower s nuclear Arsenal remains under a single authority. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said at the end of a two Day Alliance meeting that it was increasingly unclear who holds Power in the soviet Union. A the question of who Speaks for the soviet Union is a difficult one because they Are in the midst of a revolution a he told a news conference. He said that one Day Western nations May have to Deal with each Republic individually. The meeting of the North Atlantic treaty organization was overshadowed by the upheavals in the soviet Union. In their final statement the ministers said they discussed recent developments there and appealed to authorities to a pursue peacefully the process of  they called on republics seeking Independence from the Central government to abide by All arms control agreements covering nuclear and non nuclear weapons. A we attach the greatest importance to ensuring the Safe responsible and reliable control of nuclear weapons under a single authority a it said. There Are 27,000 nuclear weapons in the soviet Union based in four republics. Western officials worry about the Fate of the sophist see nato on Page 25 More republics join Yeltsin s Commonwealth Moscow apr five Central asian republics Friday agreed to join russian president Boris Yeltsin s new Commonwealth turning a cold shoulder to Mikhail s. Gorbachev s Hopes of preserving the soviet Union. The move places further pressure on Gorbachev who appears to be on the verge of resigning As soviet president. A Kremlin source speaking on condition of anonymity said Gorbachev is Likely to resign when the Legislatures of most of the remaining 12 soviet republics formally vote to join the Commonwealth of Independent states. That could come next week the source said. Gorbachev a official spokesman Andrei Grachev commenting on the reports of impending resignation said a there will be no sensation  but Grachev noted that Gorbachev had told soviet journalists on thursday that he would resign a was a matter of principles it a majority of the republics joined Yeltsin s Commonwealth. Russia Ukraine and byelorussian on sunday formed the still loosely defined Commonwealth designed to replace a Central government whose Power waned following the failed coup by hard line communists in August. On Friday the leaders of Kazakhstan and the predominantly Muslim republics of Kirghizia Kadzhi Kristan Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan voted to join during a meeting in Ashkhabad the turkmen capital the Tass news Agency reported. Their decision leaves Only four relatively Small republics outside the Commonwealth a Georgia Azor Aijan Armenia and Moldavia a All of which say they Are considering joining. A we understand the drive of the leaders of byelorussian Russia and Ukraine to create in the place of previously shackled republics a Commonwealth of Independent Law governed states a the five Central asian republics said in a statement according to Tass. Radio Russia said Yeltsin telephoned uzbek president islam Karimov to Welcome their membership and see asians on Page 2cola rises for most service members overseas by Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau Washington a the Cost of living allowance for most service members overseas will go up in december and then dip in february the Pentagon said. Most service members will get about $84 of allowance Money in their december and january pay. Then in february the overseas cola will be Cut by two Index Points or about $28. The Cut will be made because of an annual Survey of the Cost of living for stateside military members said Leonard Pomeroy the Cost of living allowance chief for the per diem travel and transportation allowance committee. Overseas civilian allowances based on local currency Exchange rates Are adjusted biweekly and not linked to military compensation a state department official said. The december increases for the military Are based on recent reviews of the Dollar s foreign Exchange rate which has been on the downswing Pomeroy said. Service members in Spain will probably not see As big a change As other european countries Pomeroy said. To make up for the reduced buying Power in Many foreign countries most service members living allowances will increase from about $28 to about $84, or from two to six Index Points depending on the local Exchange rate the release said. Each cola Index Point is equal to about $14. The 1990 Survey called a living pattern Survey of conus randomly surveyed 3,600 people and found that stateside service members use the military commissary Only 45 percent of the time. Earlier surveys did not accurately reflect Seo cola on Page 2 graduates Job out took called Bleak Chicago apr starting salaries for new College graduates will creep up in 1992 a the Only Bright news i a Survey that predicts the worst Job Market for new grads in two decades. A i have not seen a worse time a said Victor Lindquist author of the Survey and associate Dean of Northwestern University. A the Outlook for College graduates demonstrates the Impact of a recession in which no geographical area or business is  among the 259 midsize and Large companies surveyed 69 percent said they expect their businesses to decline or stay even in 1992, Lindquist said. And 36 percent said they planned to Cut their professional staff in 1992, while 49 percent reported making such cuts this year. The Only Bright spot in the Lindquist Endicott report was salaries. The businesses surveyed said they expect to pay this years grads 2.7 percent More to Start than they did last years graduates. Other economists said the results of the report seemed largely on the Mark. A this is going to be a Tough Job Market because business really does no to believe there will be a recovery before the third Quarter of next year said Robert Dede Rick chief economist for Northern Trust co. In see Outlook on Page 2 inside tomorrow s paper sunday n Ethe gift of Fig Dave Barry offers a Christmas bag of gifts