NATO allies have agreed to extend their peacekeeping mission in the troubled Balkan republic for another three months.
NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson said in a statement that extending "Operation Amber Fox" until June 26th, was "a response to a formal request" from the government in Skopje.
NATO's Macedonia mission provides security for international monitors overseeing implementation of a peace deal between the government in Skopje and ethnic Albanian rebels in Macedonia.
The current mandate expires March 26th.
Macedonia asked NATO on February 8th to extend its mission by at least three, and possibly as many as six months.
The extension also means Germany will continue to be the main contributor and lead the mission there, the 19-nation alliance said. Italy had offered to take over the lead if Germany was not prepared to continue its contribution.
The 1,000-strong NATO force also includes French, Portuguese, Spanish, Greek and Polish troops.
Macedonia's request to NATO to extend its mission came despite efforts by the 15-nation European Union keen to promote a unified stand on the world stage and take more responsibility for European security to assume the Macedonia mission.
The EU is completing plans to equip it with a 60,000-strong peacekeeping force.
But before it can take over any NATO missions, it must first finalise an accord with the alliance over logistical and communications support, something the United States now provides through NATO, and is seriously lacking in the EU.
PA