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RUSSIA, US HOLD RIVAL WAR GAMES IN RESTIVE CAUCASUS: OFFICIALS
Agence France Presse
July 15, 2008 Tuesday 1:29 PM GMT
The United States and Russia held rival war games Tuesday on either
side of the Caucasus mountains amid simmering tensions over the fate
of two rebel regions in ex-Soviet Georgia.
Almost 8,000 Russian servicemen on Tuesday began anti-terror exercises
across Russia's North Caucasus region, which borders Georgia, a
spokesman for the Russian army told AFP.
In Georgia 1,650 US and Georgian servicemen began rival exercises on
the formerly Russian-controlled Vaziani base, the Georgian defence
ministry said.
The Russian exercises were planned a year ago and "are in no way
related to the US-Georgian activities," Russian army spokesman Igor
Konashenkov said.
Tensions between Georgia and Russia have soared in recent months
as Moscow has increased its support for Georgia's rebel regions of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia has angered Moscow by moving to
join the NATO alliance.
The Russian exercises are in part designed to prepare forces for
peacekeeping work in the Russia-backed regions of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, Konashenkov said.
"In connection with the aggravated situation of the Georgian-Abkhazian
and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts... we will also work on participation
in special operations to bring peace to zones of armed conflicts,"
he said.
Around 700 pieces of military hardware will be used during the
exercises, he said.
US-Georgia exercises within the framework of the NATO Partnership
for Peace began Tuesday, Georgian Defence Ministry spokeswoman Nana
Intskirveli told AFP.
Armenian, Azerbaijani and Ukrainian staff officers are also taking
part in the exercises which will last for three weeks, she said.
Agence France Presse
July 15, 2008 Tuesday 1:29 PM GMT
The United States and Russia held rival war games Tuesday on either
side of the Caucasus mountains amid simmering tensions over the fate
of two rebel regions in ex-Soviet Georgia.
Almost 8,000 Russian servicemen on Tuesday began anti-terror exercises
across Russia's North Caucasus region, which borders Georgia, a
spokesman for the Russian army told AFP.
In Georgia 1,650 US and Georgian servicemen began rival exercises on
the formerly Russian-controlled Vaziani base, the Georgian defence
ministry said.
The Russian exercises were planned a year ago and "are in no way
related to the US-Georgian activities," Russian army spokesman Igor
Konashenkov said.
Tensions between Georgia and Russia have soared in recent months
as Moscow has increased its support for Georgia's rebel regions of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia has angered Moscow by moving to
join the NATO alliance.
The Russian exercises are in part designed to prepare forces for
peacekeeping work in the Russia-backed regions of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, Konashenkov said.
"In connection with the aggravated situation of the Georgian-Abkhazian
and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts... we will also work on participation
in special operations to bring peace to zones of armed conflicts,"
he said.
Around 700 pieces of military hardware will be used during the
exercises, he said.
US-Georgia exercises within the framework of the NATO Partnership
for Peace began Tuesday, Georgian Defence Ministry spokeswoman Nana
Intskirveli told AFP.
Armenian, Azerbaijani and Ukrainian staff officers are also taking
part in the exercises which will last for three weeks, she said.