Cyprus to participate in EU crisis management exercise

Cyprus will be participating in the crisis management exercise Evropi II 2008, organised by EU HELBROC battle group and supported by the EU.

The exercise will be held from September 6 to 12 at the Askos Profitis exercise range within the Hellenic Republic.

According to the Cypriot Ministry of Defence, the battle group will comprise divisions from Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus, with 1,200 persons.

Cyprus will participate with a military police and a medical detachment, of 60 persons, including ten women.

Greece will participate with a battalion supported by air force, management provision and engineer units, Bulgaria with a light infantry outfit and Romania with a nuclear-biological-chemical war detachment and a psychological operations outfit.

The main aim of the exercise is the preparation and assessment of the EU Force Headquarter and the HELBROC battle group during the first six months of 2008, as well as multiple actions to achieve functionality between multinational divisions.

The exercise has been planned in such a way to examine the procedures of the EU in tackling crisis management situations with specialisation in evacuation, dividing disputing parties and humanitarian aid operations.

National Guard Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Constantinos Bisbikas will be flying to Greece at the invitation of the Chief of the Greek National Defence General Staff Lieutenant General Demetrios Grapsas, in order to observe the exercise on September 11, along with the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of Bulgaria and Romania and the Director of the EU Military Headquarters.