The Novosti Georgia news agency quotes Abkhazia's Apsnypress as reporting that all senior government officials, except President Valery Ardzinba, followed the exercise.
Abkhaz Prime Minister Raul Khadzhimba gave the top grade to a shooting drill at the Nagvalou range Friday. Talking to reporters after the drill, the PM said that the aim of the military exercise was to see how mobile the Abkhaz armed forces are and to gauge their combat readiness.
"We aren't obliged to coordinate the exercise with anyone. Abkhazia is a sovereign state, and we have the right to stage military exercises," stressed Mr. Khadzhimba. The latest exercise involved the Navy, and tested new craft imported from developing countries, he said.
Defense Minister Vyacheslav Eshba acknowledged, for his part, that the exercise had revealed certain shortcomings, which were still to be redressed. But on the whole, he is satisfied with the results, he said.
To make the fifth motorized rife battalion ready for combat, reserve units had to be engaged, the minister said. According to him, the battalion's actions were supported by units representing all arms of service.
Abkhazia's armed forces will continue training to raise their combat efficiency, emphasized Eshba.
According to the Apsnypress agency, over 15,000 officers and men, including reservists, were involved in the exercise. It culminated in the shooting drill, with 500 servicemen taking part.
Abkhazia's military exercise caused alarm in Georgia. Georgian authorities took the event as a preparation for war and called on Russia and the OSCE to step in.
