Other members of the Kosova delegation to the Rambouillet peace conference, including Rexhep Qosja and Fehmi Agani, are also attending the meeting.

Mr. Dole was to arrive in the Kosova capital Prishtina today, but he could not make the trip because Belgrade authorities refused to grant him an entry visa.

The chief U.S. mediator, Ambassador Chris Hill, is also taking part in the discussions Senator Dole is having with the Kosova delegation.

"It has been a frank, a very good meeting", a source from the Kosova delegation told the KIC by phone at 17:00 CET, adding that discussions would continue.

In a press availability in the Aleksandar Palace Hotel in Shkup early afternoon today, Senator Dole said people in the United States Congress "don't understand why the [Rambouillet] agreement was not signed in France".

Dole said he felt very strongly that the Albanian leadership should sign the agreement. "I would hope that I can convince my friends [the Kosovars] that this should be done at the earliest possible time".

Against this background, Ibrahim Rugova reiterated his call for an "urgent international intervention, and a strong response to Belgrade".

The Kosova leader stressed that, despite difficulties on the ground, wide-ranging consultations have been going on with political forces, the Kosova institutions and the citizens on the Rambouillet interim settlement on Kosova.

This agreement has been receiving overwhelming support by the people of Kosova, who see it as a concrete step towards attainment of security and stability for all in Kosova, a deal that opens up prospects for the future of Kosova, President Ibrahim Rugova told reporters.

The Kosova President hailed the unfailing engagement of the United States of America on Kosova, especially President Bill Clinton's and Secretary of State Albright's commitment. He also availed himself of the opportunity to express appreciation for the engagement of the European Union (EU), singling out the role of President Jacques Chirac of France and British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

Ibrahim Rugova highly valued the work, "under very hard and exacting times", of the OSCE Kosova Verification Mission (KVM).

Participating in the meeting - chaired by Mr. Fatmir Sejdiu, Secretary-General of the Parliament and chairman of the key Commission on Constitutional Issues - were also Idriz Ajeti, Fehmi Agani, Edita Tahiri, members of the Kosova delegation to the Rambouillet conference and MPs, and Naip Zeka, coordinator of the team of experts, also a member of Parliament, who briefed the Kosovar MPs on the proceedings of the Conference and the contents of the Interim Settlement.

The members of the nine commissions of the Parliament of Kosova hailed the unified position of the Kosova delegation during the Rambouillet negotiations, as well as their commitment to the independence bid, the will of the people of Kosova, a statement issued from the meeting said.

The Kosovar MPs, elected a year ago, insisted that the interim solution, for a three-year-period, is acceptable on the understanding that the people of Kosova be able to determine their future and permanent status, freedom and independence, at the close of the period, while democratic relations and a civic society had been established in the meantime.

PRISHTINA, March 5 (KIC) - The General Council of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) supported today (Friday) the Rambouillet agreement.

In a meeting chaired by Mr. Kolë Berisha, vice-chairman of the LDK, Mr. Naip Zeka, coordinator of the Kosovar team of experts in the Rambouillet conference in France, said the conference should be viewed as a stage in the process of the international engagement on Kosova. This moment will open up the prospects for peace in Kosova, because the interim settlement paves the way for the realization of the goals of the people of Kosova, Mr. Zeka said.

Naip Zeka singled out three essential things regarding the international conference on Kosova. Firstly, the Kosova issue is not closed off with this conference; secondly, the Agreement is guaranteed by the international factor; thirdly, its implementation will be done with the presence of NATO troops on the ground, the coordinator of Kosovar team of experts said.

Members of the LDK General Council, Mustafë Blakaj, Ali Lajçi, Fatmir Rexhepi, Shaban Manaj, Faruk Spahiu, Rexhep Osmani, and Melihate Tërmkolli spoke in support of the Kosovar delegation signing the Rambouillet Accords.

The LDK party executive adopted a political declaration in support of the Accords.

The General Council "strongly supports the negotiating process on Kosova, and the unified Kosovar delegation's stand" making the case for Kosova independence, the will of the people expressed in [the 1991] referendum.

The General Council understands that the interim settlement is aimed at ending the bloodshed in Kosova, securing the functioning of institutions and life in the three-year interim period, while leaving the road open for the people of Kosova to determine their future at the end.

The General Council of the LDK said "the Kosova Agreement can be accepted only in its entirety, with international political and military guarantees for its implementation, which should be carried out by NATO".

The LDK party executive supported "the immediate signing [by the Kosovar delegation) of the agreement".

The LDK supports the President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova in his efforts towards a political solution to the Kosova issue, but also the engagement of the international community, first and foremost of the United States of America. In this context, the LDK executive hailed the outstanding work of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

PRISHTINA, March 5 (KIC) - At around 9:30 in the morning today (Friday), the Serbian military engaged the UÇK units in Blinajë ('Lipovica'), municipality of Lipjan, the UÇK's Kosovapress news agency reported.

The Serbian army launched its attack from their base in the Blinajë mountainous resort.

Six Serb armoured vehicles, several APCs, and other combat equipment was employed in the attack, which was responded to by the UÇK. Four Serb soldiers were shot and wounded, according to Kosovapress.

Meanwhile, other sources put the number of Serbian paramilitary policemen wounded today at 11, half a dozen of them seriously.

Local LDK sources said three wounded Serb policemen had been seen being transported from Magura in the direction of Prishtina.

Heavy Serbian paramilitary police forces had been moving earlier in the morning today towards the Drenica villages.

At least 13 Serbian tanks arrived in the village from Prishtina, passing through the Llapushniku gorge, Kosovapress said, adding that the village was being shelled while the Serb infantry was trying to advance into the village of Gjergjica.

UÇK and Serbian forces clashed in Gjergjica yesterday, too.

Automatic weapons fire was reported on Thursday evening in three neighborhoods of the town of Mitrovica, less than 40 km northwest of capital Prishtina.

Serbian soldiers broke into and vandalized the house of

Fetah Mehmeti (70) in the Bair neighborhood early in the evening on Thursday.

Many Albanian citizens who happened to be inside the post office in the town were arrested by police on Thursday, local LDK sources said, naming one of them as Muharrem Riza Smakolli (65), a pensioner from Rashan village of Mitrovica. Two Albanian refugees were arrested in the house of Xhylë Imeri (75) in Ibri neighborhood. Ramë Deli Rugova (44) was arrested in his home and released later.