PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (AP) - U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen thanked U.S. troops in Kosovo on Thursday for their role keeping the peace as part of a NATO-led force in the province.

Cohen came from Macedonia, where he spent a few hours with the American contingent serving as a backup to the Kosovo force. The defense chief brought along two NFL Hall of Famers, Terry Bradshaw of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Singletary of the Chicago Bears.

Cohen praised the troops for their hard work and called them ``the face of America.''

``Here you are helping provide a peaceful environment, allowing the seeds of peace to flourish,'' he said. ``You give the people here the opportunity to heal their own wounds.''

He spoke before a variety show for some of the 6,000 American soldiers serving with the mission that entered Kosovo in June. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders received wild cheers. Cohen received an ovation of his own when he promised the troops a pay raise.

``It's difficult to be away from our families, especially now before Christmas,'' said Master Sgt. William Kuhns of Seattle. ``This visit reinforces the importance of what we are doing.''

Before leaving for Kosovo on Thursday, Cohen visited Able Sentry, the main base in Skopje for the 450 U.S. soldiers posted to Macedonia, joining the troops in a late breakfast in a large tent dominated by a Christmas tree and bedecked with other holiday decorations. He also met with Macedonia's newly elected president, Boris Trajkovski, at the base.

Trajkovski thanked the American soldiers, saying they were committed to building a new era in the Balkans.

On a stopover in Bosnia on Wednesday, Cohen attended a rally and variety show held at a sports center at Eagle Base, NATO's headquarters in northern Bosnia. He thanked them for their sacrifices and wished them a happy holiday.
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