16 September 2002 Release Number: 25-02<br /><br />EXERCISE COOPERATIVE KEY 2002<br />NATO/PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE EXERCISE IN FRANCE<br /><br />Naples, Italy -- Military personnel from ten NATO nations and twelve Partner nations will join forces in Exercise Cooperative Key 2002 (CK-02), which will take place from 22 September to 4 October in Saint-Dizier, France.<br /><br />The exercise is based on a fictitious scenario in which aircraft and personnel of NATO and Partner nations respond to a request from the United Nations to NATO to deploy a multi-national task force in support of humanitarian operations.<br /><br />CK-02 is one of the many NATO initiatives which promote dialogue, cooperation and interoperability between NATO and Partner nations in conducting peace support operations. <br /><br />Exercise participants will be drawn from the following NATO member nations: Canada, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and from the following Partner nations: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*. France hosts the exercise as part of her training relations with her allies and partners.<br /><br />Approximately 1600 military personnel and more than 60 aircraft are expected to participate.<br />CK-O2 is scheduled by Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe (CINCSOUTH) and will be conducted by Lieutenant-General Ronald Keys, Commander, Allied Air Forces South (COMAIRSOUTH).<br /><br />Note to editors: A Press Information Centre (PIC) will operate in St-Dizier from 22 September to 4 October 2002. Questions prior to the establishment of the PIC should be addressed to AFSOUTH PIO, Media Section:<br />Major Tim Dunne<br />Telephone: 0039 (0)81 721-2437<br />Fax: 0039 (0)81 230-2767<br />e-mail: AFSPIO@AFSOUTH.NATO.INT<br /><br />(* Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.)