NATO begins exercises in Georgia

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Source: CCTV.com | 05-07-2009 13:54

NATO has began military exercises at Georgia's Vaziani military base, some 20 kilometers east of the capital Tbilisi. The exercises are code-named "Cooperative Lancer/Cooperative Longbow".

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili (L) guarded  by bodyguards at the Mukhrovani military base some  10km outside of Tbilisi on May 05. NATO on Wednesday  began controversial military exercises in Georgia a  day after the ex-Soviet republic said it had put down a military rebellion that had Russia's backing. (AFP/File/Irakli Gedenidze)

NATO is scheduled to hold an official opening ceremony next Monday.

The month-long exercises will be held in two stages, involving over 1,000 soldiers from NATO members... including the United States and its allies.

The first stage began on Wednesday... and will focus on training and compatibility with NATO procedures in crisis response operations. The second stage will begin on May 21st... and will serve as a field drill for training peacekeepers.

Russia has strongly objected to the NATO exercises. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Serbia, and Armenia have already reportedly pulled out of the war games.

Editor:Zhang Yun