TIRANA, Nov. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- NATO and member countries of its Partnership for Peace program began a joint military exercise in the Macedonian capital of Skopje on Monday, reports reaching here said.

    The computerized exercise, code-named "Cooperation Alliance 2005" and organized by NATO's general headquarters in Madrid, Spain, was aimed at strengthening coordination and cooperation between the bloc and member countries of its Partnership for Peace program, said the MPRESS news agency.

    Troops from eight NATO members and 10 member and observer countries of the program are involved in the exercise, which was scheduled to conclude on Nov. 24.

    The Partnership for Peace program was initiated by NATO in 1994 as part of its strategy to extend eastward after the Cold War era. So far, more than 20 European countries and former Soviet republics are involved in the program. Enditem