EXERCISE COOPERATIVE BRIDGE 94

The first training exercise to be conducted under NATO's
Partnership for Peace will be held at the Biedrusko
military training area near Poznan, Poland, from 12
to 16 September 1994. Approximately 600 soldiers from 13
NATO and Partner nations are scheduled to participate in
this historic training event.

The exercise, codenamed COOPERATIVE BRIDGE 94, involve
company and platoon size units training on basic unit and
individual peacekeeping tasks and skills. Its purpose is
to share peacekeeping experience, develop a common
understanding of operational procedures and improve the
abilities of NATO and Partner military forces to work
together in international peacekeeping operations.

The exercise will be held under the supervision of the
SACEUR. It is being planned and conducted together with
host nation military authorities under the command of
General Helge Hansen, Commander-in-Chief of NATO's Allied
Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) in Brunssum, the
Netherlands. The exercise Co-Directors are Brigadier
General Zygmunt Sadowski, Chief of Staff of the Silesian
Military District in Poland, and Major General William
Carter, Commanding General, 1st US Armoured Division.
Nations participating include: Bulgaria, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Lithuania,
Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Ukraine,
United Kingdom and United States. Many other Allied
and Partner nations will send observers to the exercise.

There will be an exercise opening ceremony in the
Biedrusko training area with high level representation
from the host nation, NATO and many Allied and Partner
countries on Monday, 12 September 1994. Closing
ceremonies will be held on Friday, 16 September.

Media wishing to cover the event are asked to indicate
their intentions, no later than 2 September 1994, to
Colonel Winfried Graber or Lieutenant Colonel Jan
Deurlo, AFCENT Office of Public Information, tel:
Int'l-31-45-26 2288/2577 or fax: Int'l-31-45-26 30 95, or
Lieutenant Colonel Zbigniew Kossakowski, Bureau of
Public Information, Polish Ministry of Defence, tel/fax:
Int'l-48-22-260 887. A Partnership Press and Information
Centre will be established near the training area
to support media needs in covering the exercise.