Committee welcomed the fact that the Soviet Union was moving quickly towards democracy and according a new importance to respect for human rights, es evidenced by the fruitful dialogue that it had held with the Committee. They congratulated the Soviet Union on the many changes in its legislation, such as that authorizing citizens to leave and re-enter the country freely, and on the decision by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet to withdraw Soviet reservations regarding the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court Of Justice in the case of five international human rights instruments, including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. That represented a major decision that marked the beginning of a*new era in international relations. 258. Members of the Committee inquired whether international treaties, once ratified, became an integral part of domestic law and whether the Soviet citizens Would be able to invoke them before the courts; whether the USSR Committee for Constitutional Supervision verified the conformity of the Soviet Constitution with international treaties before the ratification process was undertaken: and., given the precedence of treaties over laws, what happened when that Committee found that the Constitution was inconsistent with an international instrument. Noting that the so-called "political articles" had been eliminated from the Criminal Codices, they asked whether that meant that crimes of political opinion no longer existed, particularly in relation to anti-Soviet propaganda or antisocial religious activities. They also requested more information on the nature Of the legislative measures to regulate confinement in psychiatric hospitals and preclude any abuses in that respect. They also requested details on the procedure for applying the Act of 2 April 1990 concerning the settlement of questions connected with the secession Of a Union Republic from the USSR and asked whether.some Republics intended to take 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the Soviet Union's transition to democracy, human rights, and international relations. It mentions changes in legislation, the ratification of international treaties, and the treatment of Soviet citizens. The text also touches on the topic of crime and punishment, specifically with regards to political opinion and psychiatric confinement. Given the focus on human rights, governance, and international relations, it is likely that the text falls under the categories of human rights and international relations.

**Category**
Human rights, International relations