Armenia starts large-scale military exercises

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow,
23 Mar 04

YEREVAN

The command and staff exercises of the Armenian armed forces started
on the entire territory of Armenia today.

Seyran Shakhsuvaryan, press secretary of the Armenian Defence
Ministry, told ITAR-TASS that the exercises will continue until
Saturday [27 March]. They are being held within the framework of
preparing the army for 2004. The exercises are led by the chief of the
General Staff and first deputy defence minister of Armenia, Col-Gen
Mikayel Arutyunyan.

In accordance with the plan of the exercises, mobilization reserves
are being called up to increase the number of troops. This is one of
the objectives for the first stage of the exercises, Shakhsuvaryan
said.