Georgia completed its first phase of NATO exercises.

KommentariiIsklyuchitelno Peaceful tselyah24.04.2009NATO hold exercises in Georgia, despite the position of a military base RossiiNa Ministry of Defense of Georgia "Vaziani" May 18, culminated in staff exercises of NATO members and partners of Longbow 09, which took place in the program "Partnership for Peace." That was reported by Interfax. "
According to the head exercises, Brigadier General Giovanni Savareze, their goal was to practice interoperability of multinational forces in carrying out peacekeeping tasks. All 235 participants in the exercises, as noted Savareze got the necessary experience.
May 21 in the base Vaziani "will begin field exercises Cooperative Lancer 09. They will be attended by up to a thousand troops from 14 countries. Maneuvering would be sent to the practice of multinational forces in the peacekeeping battalion.
Notice of Intent to undertake that exercise Cooperative Longbow 09 and Cooperative Lancer 09 in the Georgian leadership, NATO announced in April 2009, although, according to representatives of the alliance, they were planned as early as last year. Against holding maneuvers on the territory of the state unleashed in August 2008 military conflict in South Ossetia, Russia categorically made.
Initially, in the exercises were to take part some 20 states, but some of them under various pretexts refused to send their representatives to Georgia. This is Latvia, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Serbia, Armenia and Switzerland.
Switzerland, Kazakhstan and Moldova, its decisions are not explained. Economic factors as the main motive cited Serbia, Latvia and Estonia. In the military department of Armenia said that the decision was taken "based on the current situation, while not naming the specific reasons.