The Secretary General of NATO, Javier Solana, says the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia has in principle agreed to the deployment of NATO troops in the country.

The fifteen-hundred soldiers -- known as the extraction force -- are intended to safeguard civilian officials monitoring the cease-fire between ethnic Albanian separatists and the Yugoslav security forces in neighbouring Kosovo.

Macedonia is expected to give final approval to the deployment next week, after the country's new government is in office.

Mr Solana said the troops could be in place within days of the official decision.