Concluding a new treaty among sovereign states, with an eye to the results of the recent all-union referendum, is top

priority for overcoming the crisis. In this connection participants in the meeting regard the following as necessary: *To finalize work on a draft new union treaty soon so that an agreed-upon document could be signed by delegations from the above-mentioned republics. *Not later than six months after the treaty is signed, a new constitution of the U.S.S.R. based on the provisions of the treaty on the union of sovereign states should be prepared and brought up for adoption at a congress of the U.S.S.R. people's deputies. *Following the adoption of a new constitution, the election of union power bodies, provided for by the treaty and the constitution, should be prepared and held. *The normal functioning of the power bodies of the union and republics and councils of people's deputies of all levels should be insured throughout the transitional period. *The top leaders of the union republics taking part in the meeting, while recognizing the right of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Moldavia, Georgia and Armenia to independently decide on the question of accession to the union treaty, at the same time consider it necessary to establish the most-favored-nation treatment for republics signing the union treaty, within the framework of a single economic space formed by them. Limits on Sales Tax Recognizing that all factors that have a negative effect on the living standards of the population were not taken into account during the reform of retail prices, participants in the meeting consider it necessary to take a number of additional measures for the social protection of citizens, particularly small-incomed ones. The measures are as follows in particular: *Cancel the 5 percent tax on the sale of goods that are in everyday demand. The U.S.S.R. Cabinet of Ministers and the governments of republics shall determine a list of such goods within a week. *The U.S.S.R. Cabinet of Ministers and the governments of republics within two weeks shall consider the real prices situation and take coordinated decisions on issues that heighten social tension most of all. *To take measures to make up for price increases in student dining-rooms and school snack bars and reconsider new tariffs on railway and air transport with an eye to lowering them. *To make a decision within a month on the indexation of incomes. With due regard for the above-mentioned agreed-upon decisions, the leaders of the union and republics are calling on miners and all workers to call off strikes from economic and political motives and catch up on production shortfalls soon. Taking into account the exceptionally acute crisis situation in the country, the leaders of the union and republics regard as intolerable any attempts to attain political ends through incitement to civil disobedience, strikes, or calls for the overthrow of the existing lawfully elected state power bodies. Participants in the meeting are aware that all these measures to stabilize the situation and overcome the crisis are inconceivable without radical enhancement of the role of union republics.