Over 400 soldiers from 19 states will take part in “Cooperative Best Effort-2003” exercise opening in Armenia today and which will be conducted within the framework of the NATO “Partnership in the Name of Peace” program June 16-27. The representatives of 8 NATO member-states (the United Kingdom, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Canada, Poland, the United States and Turkey) as well as 11 partner-states (Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Georgia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Romania, Slovakia and Uzbekistan). As reported by the NATO Joint Command South press service, a single battalion consisting of elements numbering 19 to 20 soldiers from each state will be immediately involved in the exercise. They will obtain skills in firing each other’s weapons, exchange experience in mine awareness and ambush defence. It should be noted that Russia participates in the NATO exercise of such character for the first time. As reported by Armenian defense minister Serge Sargsian earlier, conducing of such an exercise in Armenia will be rather useful for the state military forces. In his words, Armenian troops “have a lot to learn from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization”.
ԻմPANը
