NATO RESCUER-2006 EXERCISES START IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JULY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. NATO Rescuer-2006
exercises started on July 14 in Yerevan. As John Evans, Ambassador of
the U.S. to Armenia, stated at the solemn opening of the exercises,
cooperation between Armenia and NATO continues to deepen. The
Ambassador expressed the hope that henceforth Armenia will continue to
efficiently cooperate with NATO within the framework of the Partnership
for Peace program.

As RA Defence Minister Serge Sargsian stated, the Rescuer-2006 is
already the second large-scale exercise held in Armenia after the
Best Joint Effort-2003.

"Such exercises not only contribute to immediate testing of the
special skills of subdivisions and servicemen taking part in them,
but also are a good occasion for different countries’ subdivisions
interested in the general security and stability of our region to
work out joint operations and to jointly solve the problems faced by
them. I think this is too important today, as a necessity to conduct
such operations can emerge at any moment," the Minister said.

The goal of the exercises is to coordinate the Actions of Armenian
Defence Ministry’s Forensic Department and Rescue Service in case of
natural and manmade disasters and to ensure their possible cooperation
with NATO member-countries.

Over 300 forensic doctors, rescuers, representatives of Armed
Forces of the U.S., Armenia, Albania, Austria, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrghyzstan, Macedonia, Romania, Tajikistan and the Ukraine take part
in the exercises.