Brussels, 17/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - Press articles and agency reports from Skopje give assurance that Macedonia would be ready to agree to a NATO force remaining in the country after the end of the Essential Harvest mission, on 26 September. The force, which would be far smaller than the 4,500-strong force in place at present, would have the task of protecting civilian observers. NATO refuses to confirm this information but stresses that, during the visit to Skopje of NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson at the end of last week, Lord Robertson held "constructive" meetings during which discussions focused among other things on the solution of keeping a reduced NATO force in place, with a very different mandate. A NATO spokesman declared that the solution will be studied very quickly once the Macedonians have requested it. "Contacts are continuing between Member States and with third countries. Despite the latest events in the United States, Macedonia has not been forgotten", stressed European sources. We recall that, during the informal General Council in Genval, on 9 September, the Fifteen had taken a stance in favour of keeping NATO forces accompanied by forces from other countries (Scandinavian countries, Russia …). Discussions remained open on a United Nations mandate, that most member countries hoped for, essentially except for the United Kingdom (see EUROPE of 10/11 September, p.10).