Russian-Chinese exercises reflect high level of partnership

[Shammu]

Russian-Chinese exercises reflect high level of partnership - Kokoshin

     MOSCOW.  July  28  (Interfax)  - The scale of the upcoming Russian-
Chinese  military  exercises  reflects  the  high  level  of cooperation
between  Moscow and Beijing within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO), Russian  State Duma CIS affairs committee head Andrei Kokoshin, a
former Russian  Security  Council  secretary,  said  in  a  statement on
Friday.

     "The  scale  of  the  upcoming  involvement  of servicemen from the
Chinese  People's  Liberation Army (PLA) and the Russian armed forces in
the antiterrorist  exercises is quite significant, which reflects a high
level of Russian-Chinese cooperation within the SCO," Kokoshin said.

     The  preparations  for  the  maneuvers  revealed  a  high spirit of
cooperation between the Russian and Chinese armed forces, he said.

     "There  can  be no doubts that expanded Russian-Chinese cooperation
meets national interests of both countries and serves the formation of a
fairer and therefore more stable world arrangement," Kokoshin said.

Russian-Chinese exercises reflect high level of partnership

[Shammu]

SCO anti-terror drill ready: Russian defense officer

 Preparations for a joint anti-terrorist exercises of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states have been completed, Russian Deputy Defense Minister General Vladimir Isakov said on Tuesday.

The exercise, dubbed "Peace Mission 2007," will be carried out in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountains Chelyabinsk region and in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Aug. 8-17.

All six SCO members -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- will take part in the drill.

About 6,500 troops and 80 aircraft were expected to be involved, including 2,000 troops and 36 aircraft from Russia, 1,700 troops and 46 aircraft from China, as well as airborne companies and officers from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

Airfields, camps and meal stations for the Chinese troops, which has left China for Russia by train last Thursday, in Chelyabinsk had been readied, Itar-Tass quoted Isakov as saying.

The Chinese troops will travel a total distance of 10,300 km and it is the first time the People's Liberation Army has sent so many soldiers and armaments to such a far away place.

The SCO members held an anti-terror joint military drill in 2003. In 2005, China and Russia conducted a joint military exercise, code-named " Peace Mission 2005."

SCO anti-terror drill ready: Russian defense officer