"RUMOURS OF WARS"‘Rival to Nato’ begins first military exercise

Russian and Chinese troops are joining forces this week in the firstmilitary exercises by an international organisation that is regarded in some
quarters as a potential rival to Nato.Thousands of soldiers and 500 combat vehicles will take part in “Peace Mission 2007”,organised by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO)in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia.Russian officials have also proposed an alliance between the SCO and a body representing most of the former Soviet republics.Scores of Russian and Chinese aircraft begin joint exercises tomorrow before a week of military manoeuvres from Thursday that will include Tajikistan,Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.At least
6,500 troops are involved in what is described as an antiterror exercise.Colonel-General Vladimir Moltenskoi,the deputy commander of Russian ground forces,said:“The exercise will involve practically all SCO members for the first time in its history.”Staff officers from
Uzbekistan,the sixth SCO member,will also attend in what is being regarded as a major
extension of the organisation’s capabilities.The SCO was founded as a nonmilitary alliance in 2001 to combat drugs and weapons smuggling as well as terrorism and separatism in the region. It has since developed a role in regional trade and is increasingly regarded by Moscow and Beijing as a counterweight to US global influence.The secretary-general of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) called last week for joint military exercises with the SCO. Nikolai Bordyuzha said that the body representing Armenia,Belarus,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Russia,Tajikistan and Uzbekistan should work with the SCO to guarantee security across the region.Mr Bordyuzha has already announced a CSTO plan to create a large military force capable of assisting a member state in the event of an attack.A rapid-reaction force is already based in Central Asia and there are plans for a common air defence system covering most of the former Soviet Union.Leaders of SCO member states will meet in Bishkek,the Kyrgyz capital, next week for their annual summit.Turkmenistan will also attend for the first time,while Mongolia,Iran,India and Pakistan have observer status.
To read more go to:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2204006.ece
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