European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                These frs vol. 50, no. 257 350 Friday december 27,1991d 8693 soviet legislature disbands Gorbachev transfers control of nuclear Force to Yeltsin Moscow apr a Skeleton soviet legislature followed Mikhail s. Gorbachev s Lead thursday voting itself out of existence after a Parade of nations recognized Russia and other republics of the new Commonwealth of Independent states. Russians red White and Blue Flag was flying alone Over the Kremlin but the mood in Moscow was anything but ebullient. The Ruble is nearly worthless shortages Are widespread and residents Are wondering How they will Cope Yeltsin when president Boris n. Yeltsin of Russia lifts Price ceilings next week. Rifts Between the new Commonwealth republics were also coming into sharper focus. Ukraine on wednesday accused Russia of refusing to distribute new rubles to other republics and renewed its complaint about the dominant former soviet republics unilateral decision to free prices radio Russia reported. Russia which has taken Over the soviet mints started printing 500-Ruble Bank notes for the first time this week and had promised to distribute them throughout the former soviet Union. The new 500-Ruble notes reflect the plummeting value of the currency. In a poignant 40-minute session in the Kremlin on thursday the supreme soviet voted itself out of existence and recognized the new Loose federation of Sovereign states replacing the soviet Union. About three dozen people symbolically convened the legislature that once was the see related stories on pages 2t 14,15 Pride of Gorbachev a reforms. They had nowhere close to the number needed for a quorum in the moribund 374-member body. The recently appointed speaker kazakh writer Anuar Bek Ali Dzhanov concluded the session with a touching Farewell to lawmakers a until we meet again wherever that May  outside the yellow building during the session a Bronze plaque identifying their edifice As the Home of the . Supreme soviet was unceremoniously removed. In a further sign of the new order defense ministers of the commonwealths member republics met in Moscow the see soviet on Page 2 former soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev looks Check fail As he hoists a Glass of Vodka at his Farewell party thursday in a Moscow  wants Early meeting with Yeltsin Washington apr president Bush said thursday he wants to meet with russian president Boris Yeltsin in the near future and predicted the end of the soviet Union will make it a much easier to achieve arms control agreements. A i think the whole change towards Commonwealth will facilitate further Progress in arms reductions a the president said at a White House news conference. He spoke shortly after signing his name to the Senate a ratification of a treaty reducing conventional forces in Europe a one of the final accords reached with departed Mikhail Gorbachev a soviet Union a americans old Archenemy. Bush said the United states should a help where we can with food Medicine and private investment As the former republics that once made up the soviet Union struggle to develop free Market economics. A there Are no easy answers to All of this a Bush said referring to reports of Oil shortages in the Baltic states. He said that while no Date has been set for a meeting with Yeltsin the two men had discussed such a session in a Telephone conversation. A i would say that a meeting before too Long is important and i think he would agree with that a Bush said. As president of Russia Yeltsin is the Leader of the largest of the 12 republics and the dominant political figure in what until wednesday was the soviet Union. Bush noted that he was embarking later this week on an asian trip and would be working in the next several weeks to develop a program to stimulate the Economy As Well As draft a state of the Union address. He declined to provide any details of a proposed economic program and sidestepped a question about a tax rebate for americans and about a Middle income tax Cut. He merely said he had seen some reports to that effect and said he did no to want to do anything that would cause Long term damage to the Economy. He defended his decision to bring the Heads of . Automakers and other corporate executives rather than Union leaders on his asian trip. He predicted that consumer pessimism about the Economy would be alleviated As a result of a decision by the Federal Reserve Board to sharply Cut interest rates last week. Asked about the future of arms control agreements Bush said he thought such accords would be a much easier to  that a so he said a because we done to have the con see Bush on Page 2dod to cancel go overpayment debt Washington a the department of defense will cancel most of the $79.7 million in debt owed to the government by 198,000 military personnel who were overpaid in operation desert storm the Pentagon announced on tuesday. The debts accrued because the Pentagon mistakenly sent Advance payments or overpayment to individuals who should not have received them. The recipients normally would be required to return the Money in its fiscal 1992 defense Bill con Gress authorized defense Secretary Dick Cheney to cancel most individual debts up to $2,500. A Pentagon statement said the decision affects former Active duty service members Reserve and National guard personnel who were called to Active duty but released before the military could recoup the funds. In addition to cancelling most individual debts up to $2,500, the Pentagon plans to refund prior collections up to $2,500 and refund All interest penalties and administrative fees re lated to the debts. The action is expected to affect 198,000 individuals. As a result some 95 percent of those who owed a debt to the Pentagon will have the entire debt cancelled the statement said. In addition about $53 million in debts owed by 86,000 people who Are still on Active duty will be reviewed for potential cancellation the statement said. Letters explaining the process will be sent to All affected persons beginning in january the statement said. Inside today s paper w a stars and a stars and stripes Magazine images 91staff s photos of the year