Interfax, Russia
Aug 22 2008

Armenian Defense Minister praises CSTO exercises

YEREVAN Aug 27

The joint command post exercises of Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) Rubezh-2008 have been held at the highest level,
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian told the press on Friday.

"The Rubezh-2008 exercises were held at the highest level. The
objectives of the exercises – to develop a pattern of interaction of
government bodies and CSTO operational groups and to improve the work
of commanders and staffs – have been fully reached," he said.

CSTO General Secretary Nikolai Bordyuzha said: "These exercises were a
good experience. They gave food for thought, for developing the
regulatory network aimed at settling conflicts by political means
without aggravating them to the point of the use of armed force."

The exercises were held in four stages and are ending in Armenia on
Friday.

Earlier press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Col.

Seyran Shahsuvarian told Interfax that the military attaches of the
United States, Great Britain, China, Iran, Greece and Bulgaria
attended the exercise as observers.

The exercises involved 1,392 servicemen from Armenia and 1,106 from
Russia and also armed vehicles, air defense systems, MiG-29 and
Sukhoi-25 warplanes and Mi-24 and MI-8 helicopters.

The CSTO member-states are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress