Spain has asked the transatlantic alliance to release one of its 17 AWACS planes to patrol the airspace over Madrid for the May 22 wedding of Prince Felipe de Bourbon and former journalist Letizia Ortiz, the official said.

"We just received the request from Spain. It will go through the regular channels (and) will be examined in a expedited manner," he said on condition of anonymity.

The official said he was unable to say who would foot the bill for the AWACS plane, but acknowledged that NATO had to find an appropriate framework for handling such requests "because the burden could get too large".

NATO is also looking at requests for AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) planes to take part in the security operations for this summer's Athens Olympic Games and the Euro 2004 football championships in Portugal.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has agreed before to deploy AWACS planes for exceptional events in its member states, notably for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah and for summit gatherings.

The Spanish royal wedding will come just two months after 191 people were killed in a series of bombings on Madrid trains on March 11.

Some 10,000 police officers will be on duty for the wedding and airspace over the Spanish capital will be closed for 48 hours and be patrolled by F-18 fighter jets, according to officials.

WAR.WIRE