Russian Interior Minister Satisfied With Joint Exercises In Armenia

RUSSIAN INTERIOR MINISTER SATISFIED WITH JOINT EXERCISES IN ARMENIA

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
30 Jun 06

Tsakhkadzor, Armenia, 29 June: Russian Interior Minister Rashid
Nurgaliyev is satisfied with the results of the anti-terrorist
exercises of the special purpose troops of the Russian Interior
Ministry and the Armenian Police that were held at the Tsakhkadzor
mountain resort today. During the manoeuvres, that had four stages,
members of the Rus unit of the special purpose troops of the Russian
Interior Ministry and their Armenian colleagues have practised joint
actions to repulse an attack of armed criminals on a motorcade carrying
an important person, release hostages and detain armed bandits.

"These exercises are aimed first of all against international terrorism
and extremist groups," Nurgaliyev said. He arrived in Yerevan for a
meeting of the joint board of the Russian Interior Ministry and the
Armenian Police. The exercises "showed that the special forces of
our countries need coordinated actions during special operations,"
Nurgaliyev said.

He said that new methods of special operations had been practised
in the exercises for the first time. He went on to add that these
methods had been used to release "hostages kept by terrorists in a
building and detain armed criminals and release hostages kept in a
car". "Fast and coordinated actions are being practised during such
exercises. Each of the four operations was carried out within five
to seven seconds," the Russian minister said.

The Chief of the Armenian Police, Col-Gen Ayk Arutyunyan, praised the
exercises. "The exercises were well-organized and well-coordinated,"
he said.

Nurgaliyev and Arutyunyan presented awards to members of the special
troops.

The next time joint exercises will be held in Russia. "The next time
exercises may be held in Rostov-on-Don where join actions will be
practise," Nurgaliyev said.