SCO Peace Mission 2012 exercises start in Tajikistan
DUSHANBE. June 8 (Interfax) - Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) launched their counter-terrorist exercises at the Chorukh-Dairon range in northern Tajikistan on Friday, the Tajik Defense Ministry said in a press release.
The maneuvers will continue until June 14.
"The aim of the exercises is to improve the common procedures of military command centers' functioning during preparations for joint counter-terrorist exercises in the mountains," the ministry said.
The event involves more than 2,000 soldiers and officers from the SCO's five member states - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia and Tajikistan. The organization's sixth member country - Uzbekistan - refused to participate in the maneuvers for unknown reasons.
"The exercises will use army and frontline aviation, heavy armored military hardware and artillery," the ministry said.
Armed Forces commanders from the five states and countries holding observer status with the SCO, as well as foreign diplomats accredited in Tajikistan will watch the maneuvers, which will be supervised by Tajik Land Force Commander Maj. Gen. Emomali Sobirov.
The exercises, known as Peace Mission 2012, will take place in three stages, starting with military-political consultations in Tajikistan's second biggest city of Khujand, where SCO member states will discuss proposals regulating SCO forces' role in settling crises.
The second and third stages will see preparations for joint counter-terrorist exercises in the mountains and the exercises themselves, which will be held at the Chorukh-Dairon range, 30 kilometers east of Khujand.
The organization's previous maneuvers took place at the Matybulak range in Kazakhstan in 2010.