“COOPERATIVE LONGBOW 2008” AND “COOPERATIVE LANCER 2008” MILITARY EXERCISES TO KICK OFF IN YEREVAN SEPTEMBER 29

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS:Military exercises “Cooperative Longbow 08/Cooperative Lancer 08”, held within the frameworks of NATO’s “Partnership for Peace” program and “Istanbul Cooperation Initiative”, will kick off September 29 in the V. Sargsian Armenian military institute and will last until October 20. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian and the deputy commander of NATO Heidelberg land troops, General-Lieutenant Jack Gardner (USA Armed Forces) will take part in the opening ceremony of the exercises. NATO’s information center in Armenian informed Armenpress that nearly 900 soldiers from NATO, PfP and ICI member countries will take part in the exercises. The basis of the exercises is the “action in response to crisis” scenario approved by UN and headed by NATO which includes evacuation of peaceful population, anti-terrorism and stabilization actions. Suchlike events which are being held annually within the frameworks of PfP will give opportunity to improve the partnership between armed forces of NATO and partner states during the “action in response to crisis”. Armenia was elected a hosting side of the exercises in 2007.