NATO Georgian exercise nears end

A month of NATO exercises in Georgia are coming to an end amid continuing Russian anger over the drills. Russia, which fought a short war with Georgia last year, has condemned the exercises as "provocative". NATO Georgian exercise nears end The drills have been taking place close to South Ossetia, where Russian troops remain based following the war. Within South Ossetia, a breakaway region of Georgia recognised as independent by Russia, parliamentary elections are taking place on Sunday. Officials in the South Ossetia were quick to suggest NATO's military exercises had ulterior motives. "We do not rule out that the NATO-led exercises in Georgia are deliberately held in order to thwart the election in South Ossetia," Ossetian Foreign Minister Murat Dzhioyev said on Friday. About 700 soldiers from 13 countries have taken part in the Nato exercises in Georgia, which culminate on Sunday with a field day of manoeuvres. At the start of the exercise NATO set up a staff headquarters at the Vaziani military base outside the capital Tbilisi. The first "command post" exercise focused on co-ordinating Nato procedures in a crisis-response situation. A second and larger exercise, based on peacekeeping training, runs until 3 June. NATO has denied the exercises are aimed at Russia or Georgia's breakaway regions, either in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another pro-Russian territory. Russia regards South Ossetia as an independent state within its sphere of influence. The BBC in Tbilisi says that in hosting the exercises, Georgia has again demonstrated its wish to join Nato, though there is still no timetable for its eventual membership, he adds. Russia strongly opposes Georgian ambitions to join the military alliance. President Dmitry Medvedev has described the exercises as "dangerous" because they are taking place in close proximity to South Ossetia where Russian troops are stationed. He also described them as "provocative" because they come so soon after the brutal conflict between Georgia and Russia. Relations between Russia and Georgia have remained at a low ebb in the wake of the war. A brief mutiny suppressed by Georgian soldiers before the start of the military exercise at the start of May was blamed on Russia as part of a coup which aimed to kill Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. Russia denied the accusation, calling it "mad".

NATO Georgian exercise nears end

The drills have been taking place close to South Ossetia, where Russian troops remain based following the war.

Within South Ossetia, a breakaway region of Georgia recognised as independent by Russia, parliamentary elections are taking place on Sunday.

Officials in the South Ossetia were quick to suggest NATO's military exercises had ulterior motives.

"We do not rule out that the NATO-led exercises in Georgia are deliberately held in order to thwart the election in South Ossetia," Ossetian Foreign Minister Murat Dzhioyev said on Friday.

About 700 soldiers from 13 countries have taken part in the Nato exercises in Georgia, which culminate on Sunday with a field day of manoeuvres.

At the start of the exercise NATO set up a staff headquarters at the Vaziani military base outside the capital Tbilisi.

The first "command post" exercise focused on co-ordinating Nato procedures in a crisis-response situation.

A second and larger exercise, based on peacekeeping training, runs until 3 June.

NATO has denied the exercises are aimed at Russia or Georgia's breakaway regions, either in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another pro-Russian territory.

Russia regards South Ossetia as an independent state within its sphere of influence.

The BBC in Tbilisi says that in hosting the exercises, Georgia has again demonstrated its wish to join Nato, though there is still no timetable for its eventual membership, he adds.

Russia strongly opposes Georgian ambitions to join the military alliance.

President Dmitry Medvedev has described the exercises as "dangerous" because they are taking place in close proximity to South Ossetia where Russian troops are stationed.

He also described them as "provocative" because they come so soon after the brutal conflict between Georgia and Russia.

Relations between Russia and Georgia have remained at a low ebb in the wake of the war.

A brief mutiny suppressed by Georgian soldiers before the start of the military exercise at the start of May was blamed on Russia as part of a coup which aimed to kill Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.

Russia denied the accusation, calling it "mad".