 |
|
Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili attends a
meeting with top military officials at the Defence Ministry in Tbilisi,
May 6, 2009. NATO started military exercises in Georgia on Wednesday that
have angered neighboring Russia, which fought a brief war with the former
Soviet state last year.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
TBILISI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- NATO began military
exercises at Georgia's Vaziani military base, some 20 km east of the capital
Tbilisi, on Wednesday.
"The NATO military exercises code-named Cooperative
Lancer/Cooperative Longbow began on Wednesday, and an official opening ceremony
of the exercises will be held on May 11," a source with the Georgian Defense
Ministry was quoted as saying by the Itar-Tass news agency.
The month-long exercises, involving over a dozen NATO
members and partner countries, will be held in two stages.
The first stage, running from Wednesday to May 19, is
a command post exercise focusing on training and compatibility with NATO
procedures in a crisis response operation.
The second stage, to be held from May 21 to June 3,
is a field drill aimed at providing basic training for peacekeepers.
The exercise started a day after the Georgian
leadership said it had foiled a mutiny in the Caucasus country.
Mutineers were planning to disrupt the NATO's
military exercises, said Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who accused
Russia of playing a role in the rebellion.
The NATO exercises have drawn strong objections from
Russia. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described the exercises a
"provocation."
Kazakhstan, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Serbia, and
Armenia were reported to have already pulled out of the war games.
Pentagon cautiously responds to
Georgia mutiny plot
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon on Tuesday issued a cautious note
on a foiled mutiny plot in Georgia, saying it appeared to be an "isolated
incident."
"It looks like a fairly isolated incident at this point," Defense Department
spokesman Bryan Whitman said at the regular Pentagon press briefing, adding the
United States is "still assessing the situation." Full story
Croatian officers to join NATO
exercises in Georgia
BELGRADE, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Croatian army officers would take part in NATO
military exercises which are scheduled to begin in Georgia on Wednesday and last
until June 1, the Croatian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
A Croatian team of three officers would travel to Georgia on Wednesday and
stay there until May 21, while another nine officers will take part in the
second part of the exercises between May 18 and early June, said a statement
released by the Defense Ministry. Full story
Armenia withdraws from NATO drills in
Georgia
MOSCOW, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Armenia will not participate in the NATO-led
military exercises in Georgia, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday, citing
the Armenian Defense Ministry.
"Due to the current situation, Armenian troops will not take part in NATO's
exercises in Georgia," the ministry was quoted by Itar-Tass and RIA Novosti as
saying in a statement. Full story
Georgian mutiny attempt ends with
surrender
TBILISI, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A former Georgian special forces commander and a
tank battalion commander were arrested Tuesday for allegedly organizing an
attempted mutiny that ended peacefully when most participants surrendered,
officials said.
Defense Minister David Sikharulidze said the mutiny had been planned "on a
broader scale" and was aimed at foiling planned NATO military exercises
scheduled to begin Wednesday in Georgia, a former Soviet republic in the
Caucasus. Full story
Georgia's top defense officers
arrested in attempted coup
TBILISI, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Several top Georgian Defense Ministry officials
were arrested on Tuesday for an attempted coup, which ended without violence
after most mutineers surrendered, officials said.
"It's over. Most of the people have surrendered," Interior Ministry spokesman
Shota Utiashvili said. Full story
Georgian military rebellion ends
TBILISI, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The rebellion at a Georgian military base is over
after most mutineers surrendered, news reports said Tuesday, citing the Interior
Ministry.
The Georgian military servicemen, who started a mutiny at the military base
in Mukhrovani earlier in the day, have surrendered their arms, Russia's Interfax
news agency quoted the ministry as saying. Full story
Russian FM not to attend NATO meeting
due to diplomats' expulsion
MOSCOW, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dropped
plans to attend the May NATO-Russia meeting at the ministerial level, news
agencies reported on Tuesday citing a diplomatic source.
The decision is an apparent protest to the expulsion of two Russian diplomats
from the NATO headquarters in Brussels. Full story
Georgia's top defense officers
arrested, coup continuing
TBILISI, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Several top Georgian Defense Ministry officials
were arrested on Tuesday for an attempted coup, which the defense minister said
was still continuing.
Georgian Defense Minister David Sikharulidze said servicemen of an armored
Georgian cavalry battalion based in Mukhrovani, 30 km from the capital city of
Tbilisi, have mutinied, and "the mutiny continues at present," according to
Russia's Itar-Tass news agency. Full story
NATO secretary general says military
exercises in Georgia not to be canceled
HELSINKI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- NATO will not cancel the military exercises in
Georgia scheduled for May 6 to June 1, which has caused Russia's strong
opposition, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said during his visit
in Finland on Monday, according to Finnish media report.
On his farewell visit as NATO secretary general to Finland, de Hoop Scheffer
has praised Finland's role in the alliance's peacekeeping operations after
meeting with Finnish President Tarja Halonen. He also said Finland was an
important and reliable partner for NATO both politically and for its
participation in peacekeeping operations. Full story
Russia confirms NATO's expulsion of
two diplomats
MOSCOW, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian permanent representative to NATO Dmitry
Rogozin confirmed on Thursday that two Russian diplomats have been expelled by
the alliance for alleged espionage, Russian news agencies reported Thursday.
The two are the Russian mission's senior adviser and political desk chief
Viktor Kochukov and mission attache and executive secretary Vasily Chizhov, the
Interfax news agency quoted Rogozin as saying. Full story
Russian envoy blasts NATO exercises in
Georgia
BRUSSELS, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, on
Wednesday blasted NATO's planned military exercises in Georgia, labelling them
as "totally out of place."
Rogozin, who met formally for the first time in eight months with ambassadors
of NATO countries, said he was not convinced by NATO allies' explanation that
the exercises scheduled for May 6 to June 1 in Georgia pose no threat to
Russia's security. Full story
