The chiefs of staff of armed forces of Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) member countries ordered commanders of various
troops to launch a long-prepared anti-terror drill "Peace Mission
2007" at noontime in Urumqi on Thursday, following strategic
consultations.
The drill attended by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan "is not intended to aim at any third
party," said
Liang Guanglie, Chief of the General Staff of
the Chinese People's Liberation Army, at a press conference.
"It does not concern the interest of any third party nor makes
threat to any country," he said, following the negotiations at the
capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
According to Liang, Presidents of the SCO member countries and
their secretaries of defence will arrive at the drill venues to
observe the drill. It will also attract hundreds of journalists and
foreign military attaches.
Liang said the drill will be carried out in line with the
Charter of the United Nations and the Charter of the SCO.
General Liang presided over the consultations attended by Chiefs
of Staff of armed forces of the SCO member countries. Chinese and
Russian general directors of the joint drill, PLA's General Xu
Qiliang and Russian Admiral Vladimir Moltensky, delivered reports
on the plans, preparations and implementation of the drill to the
Chiefs of Staff.
Liang declared the official commence of the joint drill at 12:00
(Beijing time) commissioned by Chiefs of Staff of the SCO member
countries.
"The joint anti-terror drill will enhance mutual trust among SCO
members in military and security fields," Liang said, adding that
the drill will also improve the members' abilities to deal with new
challenges and threats.
The drill is of great importance for the members in jointly
maintaining and ensuring regional peace and stability, Liang
said.
Kazakhstan Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Mukhtar Altynbayev
said that terrorism, separatism and religious extremism constitute
immediate threats to the people of the SCO member countries and
jointly cracking down on the three evil forces is a main task of
the SCO.
Kyrgyzstan Chief of the General Staff Boris Ugai said that SCO
members have conducted fruitful cooperation in recent years in
defence and called for enhancing the cooperation to safeguard their
common interests.
The top priority of the cooperation among SCO members is to
maintain regional peace and enhance regional security and mutual
trust, said Russian Chief of the General Staff Yury Baluyevsky.
Tajik Chief of the General Staff Ramil Nadirov said cooperation
with SCO members is one of the most important foreign policies of
Tajikistan.
About 6,500 troops and 80 aircraft are expected to take part in
the drill, including 2,000 troops and 36 aircraft from Russia, in
Chelyabinsk in Russia and in Urumqi from Aug. 9 to 17.
A total of 1,600 officers and soldiers from land and air forces
of Chinese People's Liberation Army will participate in the drill
held at Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountainous region.
(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2007)
