"Serbia and Montenegro, as a UN member, fully support peacekeeping missions in accordance with the UN Charter and this decision confirms readiness that SCG soldiers actively participate as peacekeepers in crisis regions under the UN flag," said a government statement.

The Council of Ministers, the five-member government of the loose union that replaced federal Yugoslavia in February, said it expected the decision would speed up its admission in NATO's Partnership for Peace program, considered a first step towards the full membership in the Alliance.

The decision came amid controversial reports that Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Zivkovic, has offered some 1,000 troops to serve with the US-led coalition in Iraq during his recent visit to Washington.

And US Secretary of State Colin Powell confirmed last week that Zivkovic had made the offer and that Washington was considering it, but has not yet decided to accept.

However, Zivkovic and other government officials have said the troops could be sent only as a part of UN peacekeeping forces.

"Our participation in peace missions signifies that the army, which yesterday was being accused of having committed war crimes, is completely reformed," the prime minister said last week.

Atrocities committed by Serb military and security forces against Albanians in Kosovo sparked NATO to conduct an air war against Belgrade to pull out of the province, which remains under UN control.

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