The Open Spirit 2004 naval maneuvers will be held in Lithuania from September 3 to 14

The Open Spirit 2004 naval maneuvers will be held in Lithuania from September 3 to 14 and will involve 27 naval vessels from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Britain, Latvia, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Germany and France. The United States and Italy are sending observers to Lithuania. According to the PR department of Lithuania's Environment Ministry, 1,170 sailors will be involved in the maneuvers. The purpose of the maneuvers is to sweep for mines left over from WWI and WWII in Lithuania's territorial waters and economic zone in the Baltic Sea. Minesweeping operations have been conducted in the Baltic Sea since 1997, on the initiative of the German Mine Warfare Flotilla. The Open Spirit exercises are held alternately near the Lithuanian, Latvian or Estonian coasts. In all, about 300 various mines have been located and defused during these maneuvers.