COOPERATIVE DETERMINATION 99 PRESS INFORMATION CENTRE BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

NEWS RELEASE

No. 6                                                                                CONTACT: MAJ Shappell

2 December 1999                                                                                 or Alev Bilgin

The officer responsible for all NATO military activities in southern Europe visited the exercise today.

Admiral James O. Ellis, Jr, Commander in Chief of Allied Forces Southern Europe and the officer who scheduled Exercise Cooperative Determination 99, received briefings on the conduct of the exercise to date, visited exercise response cells, discussed evaluation of the exercise and visited the Press Information Centre.

Following his visit, Admiral Ellis said "Cooperative Determination 99 is not some mythical scenario. It prepares us for what we are really being asked to do."

Further, he said that the enhanced interoperability that would result from the exercise "is a great way to take care of our neighbors. The countries participating in this exercise are being asked everyday to contribute to the well-being and stability of our region."

Admiral Ellis was accompanied during his visit by General Tamer Akbas, Commander of NATO's Joint Command Southeast and the officer commanding the exercise; Army Corps General Constantin Degeratu, Chief of the Romanian General Staff; Major General Zannie O. Smith, Deputy Commander of Joint Command Southeast; and the two exercise co-directors, Brigadier General Petre Botezatu and Brigadier General Rifki Durusoy.

For further information and photos, visit Joint Headquarters Southeast's web site (nato.org.tr), or call the exercise Press Information Center at (40)(1) 420-1792, 420-1945 or 420-2213. The fax number is 420-2324.

The exercise continues in Bucharest until 5 December.

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