MILITARY FROM TURKEY, AZERBAIJAN AND RUSSIA DON’T PARTICIPATE IN NATO EXERCISE IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.09.2008 15:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The decision to hold Cooperative Longbow/Lancer –
2008 in the framework of Partnership for Peace program and Istanbul
Cooperation Initiative was taken in October 2007.

"NATO exercises are held independently from the Collective Security
Treaty Organization. This year we have already hosted Rubezh
2008 exercise, which was appreciated highly by the Organization’s
leadership. Military cooperation is meant to maintain peace. Held
under UN mandate, the exercise will not tell on the situation in
the region," RA General Staff Deputy Chief, Mayor General Arshaluys
Paytyan told a news conference in Yerevan today.

As to participants in the maneuvers, he said, "Everybody knows why
Georgian company did not arrive in Armenia. As for representatives
from Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan, these countries were sent an
invitation and it’s up to them to decide to accepted it or not."