The six member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will hold their largest anti-terrorism military exercise from August 9 to 17, Xinhua reported yesterday.

Codenamed Peace Mission 2007, the military drill will be staged in Urumqi, capital of Northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Russia's Chelyabinsk.

About 1,600 Chinese personnel, including those from the army, air force and logistics troops, will take part in the exercise, with the heads of states and defense ministers of the SOC member countries being present as observers.

The six SCO members are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The maneuver has been divided into two phases: strategic consultations and preparations, and field drills.

The exercise will demonstrate the determination and capability of SCO member countries to combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism. It will highlight the cooperation among the six countries in the face of new challenges.

The maneuver will reflect SCO's role in maintaining regional and global peace, without targeting any third party or compromising the interests of other countries.

China Daily

(China Daily 07/13/2007 page2)