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.
A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Russia is satisfied with some countries’ decision to pull out of the drills, Itar-Tass reported.
The planned exercises, scheduled for May 6 to June 1, have drawn strong opposition from Moscow. About 1,300 soldiers from over a dozen NATO member or ally states were originally scheduled to participate, but Kazakhstan, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova and Serbia have already withdrawn.
Source: news.xinhuanet.com, 06-05-2009
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