China and Kazakhstan, both member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), will launch an anti-terror drill on August 24-26 this year, China's Ministry of Public Security said today.

 

The drill, code-named "Tianshan - I (2006)," will be jointly conducted by law enforcement bodies and special services of the two countries, said the ministry.

 

The drill will be held in Kazakhstan's eastern Alamty region and western Chinese city of Yining in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

 

The drill is the first ever joint anti-terror exercise between the two countries' law enforcement bodies and special forces within the SCO framework, according to the ministry.

 

The ministry said the drill is aimed to implement the consensus on enhancing security cooperation among member states at the SCO summit last June and to improve the coordination between the law enforcement departments and special services of China and Kazakhstan.

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(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2006)