Russian MP proposes Caribbean drill response to NATO exercises

12:32 | 06/ 05/ 2009

MOSCOW, May 6 (RIA Novosti) – A Russian MP has proposed responding to
NATO military exercises in Georgia by inviting Cuba and Venezuela to
take part in full-scale drills in the Caribbean Sea.
The Cooperative Longbow/Cooperative Lancer 2009 command-and-staff
exercise, which Moscow has criticized as unhelpful in the wake of last
summer’s armed conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia,
starts on Wednesday and runs until June 1.
Sergei Abeltsev from the Liberal Democratic Party proposed holding
"large-scale drills" with the participation of the armed forces of
Russia, Cuba and Venezuela in the Caribbean on July 2.
"So that our U.S. partners do not question our peaceful intentions, [I
propose] holding the exercises under the codename of ‘Reset-2009’,"
Abeltsev said.
The new U.S. administration recently stated its desire to "reset"
relations with Moscow.
He also said the decision to hold the drills in Georgia during WWII
Victory Day celebrations was a "total revision of the history of the
Great Patriotic War" and a direct insult to Moscow that bordered on a
"malicious humiliation."
According to NATO, the drills in Georgia are aimed at improving
interoperability between NATO and partner countries, within the
framework of Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue and
Istanbul Cooperation Initiative programs, and will not involve any
light or heavy weaponry. Russia was invited to take part in the
exercises, but declined the opportunity.
Over 1,300 troops from 19 NATO member or ally states were originally
scheduled to participate, but Kazakhstan, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova,
Serbia and Armenia have already withdrawn.