MOSCOW. Feb 27 (Interfax-AVN) - The NATO command is about to complete the relocation of forces to the area of the Strong Resolve 2002 exercise, which is to happen in Norway and Poland on March 1 to 15, military-diplomatic sources told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
The main aim of the exercise is to check abilities of the NATO troops and units of the Partnership for Peace program member nations to simultaneously participate in strategic actions at various theaters of operation. Settlement of an organized conflict will be practiced in Poland, while Norway, the Sea of Norway and the Barents Sea will witness collective defense actions in accordance with Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
The exercise will involve servicemen from 18 countries of NATO and the Partnership for Peace program including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Ireland. Moreover, observers from 50 countries will take part in the exercise.
The scenario of the war games mentions a maneuver enemy that is getting ready to use force to defend national minorities of another country. Multinational forces under the NATO command are to counter the military threat from that nation.
The sources say that Russia is implied in the description of the maneuver enemy. It is common knowledge that Russia has voiced its discontent with infringement of national minorities' rights in the Baltic states many times.