Representatives of Armenia participate in Gintarine viltis 2007 maneuvers

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.