RUBEZH 2008 CPX KICKS OFF IN ARMENIA

Interfax News Agency
July 22 2008
Russia

The capabilities of command and control echelons to operate as part
of a regional group of forces will be refined during the Rubezh 2008
(Border) command post exercise to start in Armenia on Tuesday, CSTO
Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha told Interfax-AVN, noting that
four phases are on the CPX schedule for July and August.

"This year Armenia took the relay baton over from other Central Asian
countries and prepared a plan for the Rubezh exercise jointly with
the Russian Defense Ministry, which has started right away," he said,
adding that such kind of events play a key role in the operational
and combat training of commanding personnel of the national forces
as part of the joint CSTO force.

"A vivid example of this is the goal of the exercise, which is to
assess the capability of command and control elements of Armenian,
Russian and other CSTO members to operate as a staff of the of the
regional group of forces," he said.

Yet another important item on the agenda will be the test of a
decision-making patter in the sphere of the single defense policy
in the interests of national and collective security in a hostile
military and political environment.

"In addition, the CPX will also address command and control of a joint
force in a contingency operation on the preparation and repulsion of
an aggression against a CSTO member state," he added.