REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIA PARTICIPATE IN GINTARINE VILTIS 2007 MANEUVERS

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2007 13:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Gintarine viltis 2007 ("Amber Hope 2007) military
exercises launched in Lithuanian seaport town of Klaipeda, Spokesman
for the RA Ministry of Defense colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told the
PanARMENIAN.Net. This is already the 8th exercise from the series since
1997. Currently units from 11 NATO member-countries and the states,
which cooperate with the alliance in the framework of "Partnership for
Peace" program participate in maneuvers (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Finland,
Germany, Great Britain, USA, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia,
Poland). Totally more than 1 800 troops participate in the exercises.

Russia, Moldavia, Byelorussia and Ukraine are represented as observers.

The major task of the exercises is to prepare participation of armed
forces from various countries to NATO’s possible responses in crisis
situations, as well as to work out cooperation between troops of
different countries. All participants in the framework of the war
games will be divided into three multinational battalions, which are
headed by representatives of Lithuania, Finland and Great Britain.

The peculiarity of this exercise is the fact that for the first time
all kinds of troops -ground, air and marine forces will cooperate with
each other. That’s why unlike before, when the exercises from this
series were being held in the Lithuanian Rukla military borough, this
time they are conducted in the training ground of Klaipeda. Maneuvers
will last two weeks and consist of two stages. During the first stage
commanders will work out actions aimed at keeping peace and stability
-reconnaissance and patrol, work in action stations, neutralization
of gangs and so on.

Staff trainings are also scheduled here. In the second stage from
June 25 till 29 troops will demonstrate their just acquired knowledge
and skills during improvised operations aimed at keeping peace and
stability.

Lithuania has the largest number of troops in these maneuvers (about
1 200 servicemen and civilians).

Finland has about 300 soldiers and officers, Great Britain -165, Latvia
-120 and Poland -60. Armenia is represented by Major Mkrtich Minasyan
and Captain Rouben Papyan. The exercises will finish on July 1.