Arens said information by the Skopje daily newspaper Vecher and Macedonian Radio on his activities in Macedonia are fabricated and creating a more tense atmosphere. "We have been dealing with educational issues for over three years, always trying to resolve problems in accordance with facts and legal regulations, and never from political aspects. We have recommended to the government that a larger number of classes should perhaps be taught in the Albanian and other minority languages in certain elementary and high-schools. We discussed the training of teachers to teach in Albanian in high-schools. To be sincere, I would have liked to see progress in the area sooner, as this would ease certain political tensions." Arens was positive about reforms at the Pedagogical Academy in Skopje.

Yesterday, Arens met with the Minister of Interior, Ljubomir Frchkovski, and the Minister of Education, Emilija Simoska. Simoska said they exchanged information on current educational problems of the Turkish minority and Arens spoke of similar problems with the Boshnjaks - Moslem refugees from Bosnia currently living in Macedonia. They also discussed the position of Rhomas and the situation at the Pedagogical Academy.

Interior Minister Frchkovski said he and Arens talked about local self-government laws, the degree of inclusion of Albanians in state administration, and ethnic relations in general including some aspects of the Tetovo university situation. Frchkovski said the media was basically wrong to issue information of intentions by Arens to impose pressure on the authorities in Macedonia in regard to the university issue. It would be impolite and unpleasant to even compare the official mission of Arens with the private visit of DioGuardi, Frchkovski said, adding DioGuardi "is paid to act as he does".

Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski said, "Our position that the embargo must not be a subject of the negotiations was very clearly stated on the very first day of the embargo. We still stand by this position. Nevertheless, the problem is serious and strong efforts must be undertaken to resolve it. Talks are the only possible way to do this."

- Minister Muhamed Halili received an OSCE delegation to discuss education in the country and legal regulations in the area.

- Minister of Science Sofia Todorova yesterday received Shaban Murati, Albanian Charge d' Affaires in Macedonia. Todorova told Murati the number of ethnic Albanians included in significant scientific projects in Macedonia is growing continually.

• Despite police warnings that it will prevent any activities of the Albanian-language university in Tetovo, the philological and philosophy departments of the university started working in the village of Poroj yesterday. Students were addressed by Sefedin Hajruni, university provost and parliament member. Several OSCE officials from Skopje were also present as observers. Following the lectures, police arrived at the scene but were prevented from going into the classrooms, as they were in a religious building; the police respected this. Fadil Suleimani, the rector of the university, spoke to the police, saying he had a moral duty to educate the youth and must be enabled to do his job.

  The economic and law schools of the university are to begin their work today. A1 Television said one of the university professors announced talks between leaders of parties of ethnic Albanians and Dr. Vasil Tupurkovski and also with members of the cabinet.

• According to Macedonian Television, PDP leader Abdurahman Haliti criticized the action by police at the university, advising Suleimani to avoid public calls to the Albanian population for a massive defense of the university. Nova Makedonija quotes Haliti as saying. "We have to continue discussing issues upon which our views differ. As for myself, it is quite important that we create a political climate which will help resolve problems through dialogue. Albanian ministers did not attend the ceremony at Mala Rechica because I asked them not to," Haliti said.

• Joseph DioGuardi stated: "If Macedonia recognizes the university in Tetovo, we will help its recognition by the U.S. As a lobbyist, I have an enormous influence in the U.S. Senate. The U.S. Liaison Office's claim that my visit is purely private is not true. My visit is a sensitive issue for the Office due to current tensions between the U.S. Congress and State Department. The State Department is weak at present and controlled by Bill Clinton, who is under the strong influence of the Greek lobby. The Republican Party, of which I am a member, have control over the legislature and it is awaiting my report. This I have proved by the letters presented in Mala Rechica. Therefore, the U.S. legislature does not consider my visit as of a private nature. Quite contrary," said DioGuardi as reported by Nova Makedonija.

• Arben Dzhaferi, president of a PDP faction, said, "The government standpoint issued following the ceremony in Mala Rechica was only repeated by the not serious interpretation of Minister Gjuner Ismail. In my opinion, the police will be much more active next week, and conflict situations are possible."

• Macedonian officials of the local Tetovo assembly held a meeting yesterday, to discuss the opening of the university in Tetovo. They emphasized the law and constitution are constantly violated in Tetovo in all spheres of life. The ministries of justice, education and city planning and construction were bitterly criticized. The meeting ended in a resolution to organize a new meeting between all political groups of Macedonians in Tetovo and the government within seven days.

• Interior Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski said the activities regarding the university in Tetovo are a result of the general orientation to make a last attempt to resolve the Albanian question in the region. This is a pressure "we will endure," he told A1 Television. Frchkovski said the government will eliminate all forms of official working of the university, adding public gatherings in the open are a normal occurrence in all democracies. The radical, irrational and often inappropriate statements for the public, which only add to the ethnic tension, will not force the government to give up its determined course and will not provoke the police. The problem has to be openly and completely revealed. We are slowly gaining international support on the issue and this will be just another successful step, if the government makes all the right moves."

• Mapkress quotes Yuri Trushin, Russian Federation Charge d'Affaires in Macedonia, as saying: "In our view, the so- called university in Tetovo is contrary to the Macedonian Constitution, as well as to all international legal norms and democratic procedures practiced in civilized democracies." Russia considers Macedonia its natural ally and is interested in its sovereignty and stability, he stated.

• Albanian President Sali Berisha told Albanian national television he greets the opening of the Albanian-language university in Tetovo, saying it is a result of an understanding shown by the Macedonian government and President Gligorov. This will contribute to harmony between Macedonians and Albanians and stability in Macedonia.

PDP leader Petar Goshev accused the government of being solely responsible for the current situation. Privatization, he said, is in the hands of a small interest group which is ensuring its long-term political power and bargaining with state capital, encouraged by the absence of any controls. Debate participants were very interested in the issue of denationalization and the return of confiscated property to its former rightful owners. Goshev suggested a new and quick denationalization model to provide privatization checks for all citizens in the country.

The concept of the draft law, according to those who proposed it, is based on the legality of basic human rights and freedoms. The reforms are aimed at forming a modern and professional police force. The explanation of the law states that the idea is to have the Constitutional Order Protection Department carry out decisions made by the Ministry of Interior, in accordance with both international experience and specific domestic characteristics. The Ministry will grow into a mainly crime police organization and the department will be engaged in a counter-intelligence activities.

The department would be managed by a director, appointed by the government upon suggestion by the minister of interior. The director would make decisions independently, being responsible for his work to the government and the minister. The novelty in the law is that it explicitly authorizes Parliament to control the work of the department through one of its committees. This will ensure a double control - governmental and parliamentary - over the work of the new department.

Unlike the department, the state intelligence agency would be formed as a separate state administrative agency, with a director appointed and replaced by the president of the country and responsible to the cabinet. The law also introduces parliamentary control over the work of the agency.

The general opinion of the Liberals on the proposed laws, stated during committees' sessions within Parliament, is that the law offers only superficial and not radical reforms of the police. They stressed the law still protects only the state, instead of protecting the citizens, thus granting a less important role to citizens than that of the police. Liberals kept asking why the new intelligence agency is not be constituted as a separate agency. Their debates insisted that administrative agencies ought to be separated from the Ministry of Interior, which is to continue acting as the focus of all relevant information. The Liberals also asked that the laws include more provisions to protect the freedom and integrity of the citizen.

The key Liberal amendment was also backed by the potential danger of the department's turning into a self-willed arbiter and start judging actions undertaken by citizens established under the Constitution and law. Liberals also reacted to proposed solutions on rights and obligations of the Ministry of Interior, as regarding national defense. They demanded a more precise definition of those rights and obligations, as well as that police are given battle assignments in war times only by the president of the country.

Liberals demanded that protection against fire and explosion, which would remain one of the duties of the Ministry of Interior if the laws is passed, be separated and integrated into civil protection units. Finally, they suggested that the minister of interior and his deputy no longer be treated as officials with special authorities, as they are holding high political positions.