BRUSSELS, March 8 (RIA Novosti) - Under the auspices of the NATO-Russia Council, the sides' representatives will hold on March 8-12 the first joint command and staff exercises in theater missile defense (TMD) in Colorado Springs, USA.
The NATO press service said the exercises aim at checking the efficiency of the joint experimental concept of operations worked out by a NATO-Russia Council working group, and at training operational interaction.
Testing with the help of computer technologies in real time conditions will be carried out by over 60 specialists from Russia and ten NATO member countries.
It is expected that as a result of practical interaction of experts, a basis for more large-scale joint exercises scheduled for 2005 will be created.
Staging theater missile defense exercises is the first important step on the way of practical cooperation between NATO and Russia.
