The first stage of the ongoing NATO exercises in Georgia concluded on Monday at Georgia's Vaziani base, local media reported.
The exercises, which started on May 6 about 20 km east of the Georgian capital Tbilisi, were conducted smoothly and have enhanced the NATO-Georgia relations, the drill supervisor, NATO Brigadier General Giovanni Savarese, was quoted as saying by the Caucasus Press news agency.
The first stage, which involved some 200 soldiers from 14 member states and partner nations, is a command post exercise aimed at improving the compatibility of multinational forces in a crisis response operation.
The second stage, to be held from May 21 to June 3, is a field drill designed to provide basic training for peacekeepers. About 1,000 servicemen will participate in it.
Russia has expressed strong objections to the exercises, which NATO says were planned last year before the conflict between Georgia and Russia.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused NATO of "muscle-flexing" and called the decision to continue with the drills "wrong and dangerous."
Source:Xinhua
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