IMS Exercise Announcement 19 June 2002

Initial Press Release Exercise "Cooperative Partner 2002" NATO exercises with Partners in the Black Sea Naples, Italy - NATO's annual maritime and amphibious exercise COOPERATIVE PARTNER 2002 (CP 02) will take place from 21 June until 06 July 2002 near Constanta, Romania, and in the Black Sea. More than 5000 service personnel, over 40 ships and 20 aircraft from NATO and Partner nations, including NATO standing formations will train together in Humanitarian Assistance and Peace Support Operations. Overall, forces from eight NATO nations (France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America), together with forces from five Partner nations (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and the Ukraine) including NATO's Standing Naval Force Mediterranean, Mine Countermeasures Force South, and NATO's Southern Region Headquarters will participate in the exercise. French forces are joining the exercise as part of the normal training relations that have been established between France and its allies. The forces' objective is to provide support and relief to the civilian population after an earthquake, at the same time restoring law and order in an uncertain environment. The unique design of CP 02 exercises procedures and communications, showing NATO's ability to fully integrate assigned multinational Partner forces and allowing an assessment of progress in interoperability. While assuring the required readiness of its own forces, NATO continues its priority of maintaining peace and stability through dialogue and co-operation, to include training with Partner nations. CP 02 is scheduled by the Regional Headquarters Allied Forces South Europe (RHQ AFSOUTH) responsible for NATO maritime operations in the Southern Region. It will be conducted by the Headquarters Allied Naval Forces South (HQ NAVSOUTH) and supported by the Headquarters Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (COMSTRIKFORSOUTH), a power projection and high-readiness maritime headquarters available to the NATO force structure. NOTE FOR THE EDITOR: A Press Information Centre (PIC) will be established in Constanta, Romania from 20 June until 06 July 2002. Media questions prior to the start of the exercise should be addressed to: The Public Information Office ALLIED FORCES SOUTHERN EUROPE - (AFSOUTH): Lt Cdr. Harvey BURWIN, AFSOUTH PIO, Viale della Liberazione s/n, 80124 Naples, Italy. Telephone: +39 081 721 2239 or 2320; Fax +39 081 230 2791 e-mail: afspio@afsouth.nato.int