The US ambassador to NATO immediately hailed the accord as marking the end of a crisis which almost tore the Alliance apart before the Iraq war.

"Today's decision puts us (NATO) squarely in the mix in Iraq," said Ambassador Nicholas Burns.

"There's no question NATO is out on the frontlines in the global war on terrorism", he added, citing the Alliance's future roles in Afghanistan and Iraq.

NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, who has the unenviable task of seeking consensus in the 19-member Alliance, appeared more cautious in his description of the decision.

"We're not talking about a NATO presence in Iraq, we are talking purely and simply about NATO help to Poland," he said, declining to forecast when such support would actually be decided.

Robertson gave no details on how NATO could help. But diplomats say the request is understood to comprise technical support for coordinating troop contributions, and for intelligence or military planning support.

Under US-led plans for a multinational force in Iraq, Poland -- a key ally of the United States during the war -- is taking charge of a sector of the country, alongside British and US-run sectors.

The ex-communist country, which joined NATO only in 1999, is negotiating the composition of forces to be deployed in its sector, where at least 7,000 troops are needed.

Polish Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said Monday his government was ready to send 1,500 soldiers to Iraq in July. He was set to host a meeting in Warsaw Thursday and Friday on its contribution to the force.

The US ambassador said the decision marked the end of the Iraq crisis sparked when three countries - France, Germany and Belgium - blocked NATO from helping Turkey in February.

"By agreeing to go into Afghanistan and today by agreeing to play a role in Iraq, NATO has overcome that crisis," he said, referring to NATO's decision to take over the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

"I do not exclude the possibility that NATO could play a larger role in the future" in Iraq, Ambassador Burns added.

French diplomats said Wednesday's agreement was "a pragmatic gesture with respect to Poland."

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski also welcomed the accord, calling it "an important political decision."

The decision "shows that the alliance is becoming more and more involved in the stabilisation mision in Iraq, which is an important political decision," the president said in Warsaw.

He compared NATO's aid to that given to German troops during their mission in Afghanistan.

"NATO's backing goes beyond simple advice. It will include cooperation in the field of intelligence and logistical support," PAP news agency quoted him as saying.

Warsaw asked the Alliance last week to study how NATO could help.

It described its request, which will be examined by NATO's military planners at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, as "modest."

Robertson said Wednesday's decision gave the political green light for NATO support, but it was up to military authorities now to flesh out what will be done on the ground.

"The first important and critical step was taken today, but it is only to task the military authorities to help Poland," he said: "Beyond that there needs to be a decision on a concept of operation."

"What we agreed on today is the first step in the process," Robertson added.

Diplomats said military planners would present their options for Poland within two weeks.

In Warsaw, defence ministry spokesman Eugeniusz Mleczak said a Polish advance inspection team had been in Iraq to make arrangements with American colleagues on procedures for taking over the Polish-run zone.

"During a four-day reconnaissance mission in Iraq and Kuwait Polish officers visited the centre-south territory between Basra and Baghdad," he was quoted by PAP news agency as saying.

The mission led by General Andrzej Tyszkiewicz, the officer selected to head the Polish administration, had explored the expected service conditions of servicemen in the Polish zone and the living conditions of the local population, the official was quoted as saying.

WAR.WIRE