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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

BELGIAN ARMY SEEKS A NEW “PROBABLE ENEMY” Ukrainian soldiers agree to play the part, supported by NATO

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

The Belgian Army is interested in using Ukrainian proving grounds, provided they can play war games with a matching “probable enemy.” This was discussed, among other things while Vice Admiral Warren Herteller, Chief of the Belgian General Staff, who visited Ukraine for the first time, meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Zatynaiko August 18.

“Belgium is 20 times smaller than Ukraine, and we cannot afford so much space for military exercise as you can, yet we have had to take part in such maneuvers increasingly often of late,” the Vice Admiral said. He was quite impressed by the Yavorivsky trial ground measuring 42,000 hectares and being the Ukrainian military’s pride.

“We could deliver our units and materiel here, but the main problem is operating against a sufficiently well trained ‘enemy,’ so I believe the only right place today is the Mojave Desert in the United States. Founding a training center of such caliber in Europe will require the combined efforts of many countries.” Belgium and Ukraine are prepared and willing to go forward with this project, but this is not enough, he added. On the other hand, Ukraine proposed NATO use its Yavorivsky site several months ago, because it remains the largest of its kind in Europe to accommodate the North Atlantic Alliance’s and partners’ units wishing to exercise — naturally with NATO support.

Among other topics discussed during the Vice Admiral’s visit to Kyiv were the prospects for bilateral military cooperation in 1999-2000. Belgium was invited to participate in this year’s Peace Shield 1998 and Sea Breeze exercises. As for the possibility of holding NATO-sponsored maneuvers in Macedonia, Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Oleksandr Zatynaiko said he hoped that NATO would not have to resort to forceful measures, in view of the worsening Kosovo situation.

“From what I know diplomatic efforts should suffice to solve the problem,” he declared.

 

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