SKOPJE, Macedonia, July 6: An advance contingent 30 US troops arrived in Macedonia on Monday to prepare for the arrival of the main body of US forces who will Join UN peacekeepers in the former Yugoslav republic, reports Reuter.

The remainder of the 300-strong force of men based in Germany will arrive later in the month for deployment on Macedonia's borders 'with Serbia and Albania.

The advance party included engineers, ( witnesses said. They will prepare headquarters and accommodation for the troops at Petrovac military airport.

The United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) already has 700 troops in Macedonia provided by Nordic countries.

President Bill Clinton offered US troops as part pf efforts to prevent the war