Yugoslavia's biggest republic, Serbia, cracked down on the opposition and the press in a provincial hotbed today, while another republic, Slovenia, was ordered to rescind its sovereignty declaration.

But most impressive, perhaps, 83 percent of the Ukraine's voters supported a subsidiary question endorsing the republic's own strong sovereignty declaration, which claims the right to create its own currency and army.

Nevertheless, in several important respects, the declaration went further than sovereignty declarations adopted in June in the Russian Federation, Uzbekistan and Moldavia [see pp. 37539-40].

Nevertheless, several elements in the sovereignty declaration represented a compromise between the Communists and nationalists, notably the provision for dual Ukrainian and USSR citizenship.

It was intended to end the so-called "war of laws", arising when republics issued sovereignty declarations which asserted the primacy of their own legislation.

Kazakhstan on Oct. 25 and Kirghizia on Oct. 30 were the last of the 15 union republics to issue sovereignty declarations.

Although Governor Brad Henry vetoed the bill, the newly passed version of the sovereignty declaration doesn't require his approval.

Six republics have already said they will not sign and have demandedKremlin endorsement of their sovereignty declarations.

In wording similar to Russia's sovereignty declaration it proclaimed the supremacy of Uzbekistan's laws on its territory and provided for Uzbek jurisdiction over domestic and foreign policy issues.

The statement was adopted as part of a broad, nonbinding sovereignty declaration that is expected to put to a final vote next week.