05/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - On 5 July, Javier Solana and Lord Robertson issued a joint declaration to welcome the ceasefire decided by the authorities in Skopje and " armed Albanian-speaking extremists operating in the north of the country." They stress that the EU and NATO are "ready" to help Skopje settle the conflict, "particularly with EU financial assistance and the deployment of a NATO military force to help disarm the Albanian-speaking fighters," specifying that the maintenance of a lasting ceasefire and progress towards a political settlement are the conditions that have to be met to qualify for the assistance proposed by the EU and NATO."