The exercise will involve participation at a senior level to allow the two countries to share best practice on emergency planning and response on a practical level, said Blunkett in a press release.

"Our experience of fighting terrorism over the last 30 years means that we have a lot to offer the United States, just as we have a lot to learn from them," he said.

"Exercises are essential to our work on counter-terrorism. They allow us to test systems thoroughly, train front-line responders, and highlight vulnerabilities," said Blunkett, noting that Britain's exercise program leads the way in counter-terrorism planning and is one of the best in the world.

A Home Office press officer told Xinhua that the exercise, which could be in either or both of Britain and the United States,will be on a large scale with quite a large number of people involved in.

"Basically, it will be the first joint exercise which links the two countries together in their counter-terrorist efforts," he said.

The United States and Britain agreed to begin the detailed planning for the exercise at the meeting of the Joint Contact Group of senior counter-terrorism officials in Washington on June 13, said the Home Office press release.

(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2003)