NATO begins military exercises in Georgia
On Monday, Georgia will host the command and staff exercises NATO-GEO EXERCISE 2019. The military of 24 NATO member countries and alliance partners will take part in this event.
The exercises will be held in the territory of the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre (JTEC) until March 29, reported the the Ministry of Defense of Georgia. More than 350 troops from 24 countries will participate in them, as well as representatives of international humanitarian organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN peacekeeping forces. The World Health Organization (WHO) representatives will also attend as observers.
On March 25, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will attend the exercises during his visit to Georgia.
According to the Minister of Defense of Georgia, Levan Izoria, these exercises are not directed against "third countries". According to Izoria, Georgia’s “northern neighbor perceives the exercises as a threat,” but in his opinion, the exercises are “recognition of Georgia as a worthy NATO partner, which is ready to become a member of the alliance.”