Commander of the US European Command Curtis Skaparotti opened a new three-year program of Washington military assistance to Tbilisi to the Georgian army and combat training center in Vaziani, near the Georgian capital, VZGLYAD from Tbilisi.
Defense Minister of Georgia Levan Izoria said on this occasion, what “cooperation between Georgia and the United States both globally, and in the military sphere moves at a substantially new phase”.
Earlier it was reported, that the US will allocate 100 million dollars on military reform in Georgia. With regard to the current US program of training Georgian soldiers, within it three years training on the new standards will be nine battalions.
The US military has instructed the Georgian army since the era of former President Eduard Shevardnadze. The essence of the new program is, they will be ready not only to peacekeepers, but also a regular part of. As for future exercises with the Americans, Previously Georgia on joint maneuvers mostly accentuated on preparing the military in peacekeeping missions, but now the focus has shifted to increasing the combat training of Georgian soldiers. The United States also provide the transition Georgian army with Soviet and Russian weapons for the US. Including Georgia, have already been delivered "Javelin".
The total amount of US financial support for the needs of the Georgian army 1997 I have made 240 million dollars.
