china & russia begin massive 'anti-terror military drill'

from moscow news: China, Russia and four central Asian nations began a joint anti-terror military drill in a remote Muslim-dominated Chinese region on Thursday, state press reported.

The exercise involves a total of 6,000 troops and 36 aircraft from the six nations.

Dubbed "Peace Mission 2007," the drill among the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is being held in China's far northwest Xinjiang region for two days.

Chiefs of staff from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan held strategic negotiations in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, at the start of the drill, Xinhua said.

The exercises move on to Russia on Saturday and end on August 17, when President Vladimir Putin and other leaders of the organisation are due to attend.