May 14, 2008 - 13:57 AMT
Cooperative Longbow/Lancer exercise planning conference kicks off in Yerevan
Cooperative Longbow/Lancer NATO exercise planning conference kicked off in Yerevan on May 14, with opening remarks by deputy chief of the RA armed forces general staff, major general Arshaluys Paytyan and chief of staff of the NATO Heidelberg united forces, brigadier general Claudio Vercelotti.

The conference brought together 110 servicemen of 30 nationalities. 37 of them represent the Alliance's command and 63 represent 21 countries willing to join the exercise.

The conference will focus on the exercise planning, coordination of legal issues and the schedule of events.

350 officers, master sergeants and sergeants will participate in Cooperative Lancer 2008. 800 servicemen will be engaged in Cooperative Longbow 2008.

The exercise will be conducted in three stages, during which joint activities of the peacekeeping forces will be perfected.