TBILISI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Georgia kicked off on Monday an 11-day joint exercise with NATO countries near capital Tbilisi.
According to a statement from Gerogia's defense ministry, "NATO-Georgia Exercise 2019" is held at the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center near Tbilisi.
The drill will last until March 29. The first such joint exercise was held in 2016.
A total of 343 military and civilian personnel from 24 countries, including 21 NATO member states and Azerbaijan, Sweden and Georgia, participate in the exercise, said the statement.
According to the defense ministry, the exercise is to further develop the interoperability of Georgian forces with their partners. It will also test their ability to adopt a comprehensive approach to crisis response, involving civil-military cooperation with international organizations and non-governmental groups.
