PARIS, Jan 10 (AFP) - Several European countries whose troops served in Yugoslavia during the 1990's are offering them medical tests following cancer fears linked to the use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions in Balkans conflicts.

Seven Italian soldiers and 11 others from various European NATO countries have died from cancer-related illnesses after serving in the Balkans.

The deaths have prompted NATO to order a full investigation into the possible effects of DU.

BRITAIN has offered voluntary testing for military personnel who feel they may have been exposed to contamination, although London insists there is no significant risk from exposure to depleted uranium munitions.

DENMARK has ordered medical tests for leukemia on all its soldiers who served in the Balkans.

FRANCE has introduced voluntary testing for its military personnel. Four French soldiers have been hospitalised with leukemia.

GERMANY's Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has called for all relevant facts about DU munitions to be made public and has said he is opposed to their use.

IRELAND is introducing medical tests from next week to reassure soldiers who fear they may have been exposed to contamination. An Irish medical team is currently in Kosovo and Bosnia carrying out radiation checks.

ITALY is sending a military company to Sarajevo to carry out tests at Italian bases throughout Bosnia where it has 1,600 troops in the NATO-led Stabilisation Force.

LATVIA will carry out tests on its 400 soldiers who have returned from duty in Kosovo.

PORTUGAL has begun radiation checks at its main military hospital in Lisbon on up to 10,000 Portuguese soldiers, police and civilians who have served in the Balkans.

ROMANIA will complete medical tests on 1,500 troops who served in Bosnia before the end of January.

RUSSIA is sending a team to check out zones where its troops are deployed in multinational peacekeeping operations and plans to test all military personnel before January 20.

UNITED STATES is also looking into possible DU health side-effects but has denied any knowledge of a direct link with the so-called Balkans syndrome being reported by NATO troops.

Washington issued a "hazard awareness" document to its allies in 1999 following that year's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia saying troops going into Kosovo should take preventive measures in view of the use of DU munitions.

EUROCORPS, which commanded the multinational peacekeeping force (KFOR) in Kosovo during the first six months of 2000 does not plan any special medical test for its 250 personnel who served in Pristina.