Mongolia’s Leaders Plan Referendum on Legislature : Asia: Negotiations on a vote follow an agreement by the Communist government to resign.

Mongolia’s opposition groups negotiated with the government Saturday on arrangements for a referendum to gauge public approval of the country’s parliament, the Great Hural.

The talks took place a day after an opposition hunger strike ended when Communist Party leaders agreed to resign.

Damdindorj Ninj, who leads one of the four opposition groups pushing for a multi-party democracy, said he is confident that the country’s leaders will follow through on their promises.

“This is our victory,” Ninj was quoted as saying. “I’m very hopeful the government will keep its promises.”

The leadership pledged Friday to hold an extra congress in April to change Communist Party rules and elect new party leaders.

It also agreed to hold a referendum to give the people an opportunity to say whether they have confidence in the Great Hural.

Diplomats said that both the opposition and the government will meet to draft a new constitution.

Ninj and 28 other protesters took part in a three-day hunger strike in Sukhbator Square in the center of the capital, Ulan Bator, to demand the resignations of President Jambyn Batmonh and the rest of the Politburo.

Batmonh announced on television and radio Friday night that the entire Politburo will resign at a special plenum session Monday.

National television also broadcast live talks between two ranking officials and representatives of the opposition groups Friday.

When the news broke that the leadership would resign, the hunger strike ended.

“People were hugging each other for joy and shouting hurray,” one resident said.

The hunger strike proved to be a very powerful weapon because Mongolians were horrified at the spectacle of the hunger strikers, who carried on despite subzero temperatures, she said.

The streets of Ulan Bator were quiet Saturday, and workers called off a general strike.