Skopje / Brussels, 27/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - From Brussels on Friday, Commissioner Chris Patten welcomed the agreement reached the previous day in Skopje between the Macedonian authorities and the parties of the Albanian minority, agreement that should allow for a resumption of the political process in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYORM). "Actions aimed at expelling citizens from their homes are totally unacceptable", he said, before adding: "The cease-fire must be respected to enable people to go home without fear of violence or intimidation". He then recalled that the European Commission was currently preparing a comprehensive reconstruction and confidence-building programme in the country that could be implemented as soon as a political agreement had been reached and when it was possible to act on the ground.
The announcement of the resumption of the political process in Tetovo, was made by President Boris Trajkovski, at a joint press conference with EU High Representative Javier Solana, NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, and the Romanian Foreign minister, President-in-Office of the OSCE, Mircea Geoana, in Skopje Thursday evening. "The political process is back on track, the cease-fire is back on track, the two being extremely important", said Solana, showing optimism and adding that he was "certain that the leaders of the political parties in Macedonia will be capable to reaching an agreement in a few days". Lord Robertson made the same diagnosis and stressed that "thanks to the mission by Messrs, Leotard and Pardew, very substantial progress has been made" and that "there is now agreement on 95% of the issues".