INITIAL PRESS RELEASE<br />EXERCISE COOPERATIVE ADVENTURE EXCHANGE 2002<br /><br />NATO PEACE SUPPORT EXERCISE IN THE UKRAINE<br /><br />NATO and Partner countries will join together in a major exercise called COOPERATIVE ADVENTURE EXCHANGE 2002 (CAE 02). The exercise will take place at the Yavoriv training centre in Western Ukraine from 7 to 18 October 2002. CAE 02 aims to improve the interoperability of Allied Command Europe Mobile Forces, Land (AMF(L)) with other Headquarters and units from NATO and Partner nations, at the same time promoting common understanding of deployment, organisation, employment and redeployment of a multinational formation in a fictitious UN-mandated NATO-led Peace Support Operation. <br /><br />Military personnel will participate from twelve NATO nations: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America and from six Partner nations: Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia(1), and the Ukraine. <br /><br />AMF(L) is the Supreme Commander Europe’s Immediate Land Reaction Force. On deployment to the exercise area it will come under the command of Joint Command Southeast based in Izmir, Turkey, one of NATO’s Joint Sub-Regional Commands. The exercise will include live fire exercises, field training and command post training, integrating infantry, reconnaissance troops, artillery, engineers, helicopters, aircraft and logistics elements. <br /><br />Note to editors:<br /><br />A press information centre will be established in the Suputnyk Hotel in L’viv, Ukraine from 3 18 October 2002. Tel +380 (322)-645822. <br />There will be opportunities for the media to visit the training exercise every day.<br /><br />Prior to the exercise information can be obtained from Lieutenant Colonel Hutsulyack (Ukrainian Army), Western Operational Command, L’viv, Ukraine <br />Tel/fax +380 (322)-741267 <br />Or Major Beckman (US Army), Public Information Office, <br />JointCommand Southeast, Izmir, Turkey, <br />Tel +90 232 448 4848 ext 2008, fax 90 232 448 4495, beckmanw@jcse.nato.int<br /><br />1. Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.