Putin, Hu to watch anti-terrorism manoeuvres in Russia

Moscow, Aug 10 (UNI) Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao in the South Urals next week, for talks and watch the anti-terrorism manoeuvres ''Peace Mission 2007'', under the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

''On the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, Chairman of the Chinese People's Republic Hu Jintao will visit Russia on August 16-17 to watch the joint anti-terrorism exercise conducted by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation,'' Chinese ambassador to Moscow Liu Guchang said at a press conference here today.

Mr Guchang said the two presidents would meet twice and the heads of all SCO states would gather on August 17 for a review of the troops in the Chelyabinsk region, on the final day of the exercises, which had started on August nine.

This is for the first time that the SCO is holding a full-scale military exercise involving all its member states. The regional grouping, which includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, has India, Iran, Pakistan and Mongolia as observers.

About 5,000 servicemen and 82 Russian and Chinese aircraft were engaged in the current exercises.

UNI