Defense ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO) met in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, yesterday to discuss
regional security and preparations from the upcoming SCO
summit.
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All six leaders of the SCO members are expected to attend the
summit in Bishkek on August 16.
A joint anti-terrorism military exercise within the SCO
framework is also slated for August 9-17.
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The Peace Mission 2007 exercise will involve 500 Russian and
Chinese vehicles, about 2,000 Russian and 1,600 Chinese military
personnel, a company (of around 100 men) from Tajikistan and
smaller units from other members, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
and Uzbekistan, Russian Army General Alexei Maslov said earlier
this month.
China and Russia's air forces will also take part in the
exercise.
Peace Mission 2007 will be the biggest anti-terrorism joint
military exercise yet carried out by the six SCO members. China
will be sending more troops than it has ever before contributed to
a cross-border military exercise.
The exercise will be held on Chinese and Russian territory, said
Maslov.
The first stage of the exercise, including political
consultations, will take place in China. The second, main, stage
will be held at the Chebarkul training range in Russia's
Volga-Urals military district.
The joint military exercise embodies the resolution and ability
of SCO members to crack down on the "three evil forces" of
terrorism, separatism and extremism, and to maintain regional peace
and security, without threatening any other countries, Chinese
Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui said when the event was announced
earlier this year.
After several rounds of talks, Chinese and Russian military
experts recently agreed that Chinese military personnel, armaments
and hardware would arrive by crossing the China-Russia border in
the Far East.
(China Daily June 27, 2007)
