REGIONAL MILITARY AND CIVILIAN EXERCISE "SEESIM 08" STARTED

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 27,2008) - Regional military and civilian exercise SEESIM 08, 4th in the SEESIM series, started on Thursday and it will last till October 31st.The main control group of the exercise within the initiative of the ministries of defence of the countries of the southeastern Europe is placed at the Bulgarian national military training centre "Charalitsa" , the host of the exercise.

The exercise includes military and civilian institutions of the ministries of defence of the following southeastern European countries: Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy,Macedonia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.

The following international organization will participate in the exercise: UN, OCHA (Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - UN), IFRC (International Federation of Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies), NATO, EADRCC (Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre), EU MIC (EU Major Incident Centre), Stability Pact/DPPI and RACVIAC (Centre for Security Cooperation) and Georgia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia will participate as spectators.

The southeastern European countries, participants in the exercise, will, with the constant communication on their territories, simulate natural or other disasters and make communication with the main control group of the exercise at the Bulgarian national military training centre "Charalitsa". The SE Europe Brigade headquarters (SEEBRIG) will be stationed at the Turkish crisis headquarters with the response cell.

The aim of the exercise is to stimulate national civilian/military agencies of the ministries of securities, ministries of defence and structures of civil protection in fulfilling important tasks of the nations participants and responsibilities in response on emergencies.
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