A group of Chinese firemen and earthquake relief workers left Beijing on Monday for a disaster-relief drill in Russia organized by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The drill, the first of its kind ever organized by the SCO, will take place in the city of Noginsk in Moscow Region from Tuesday to Friday, according to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Four SCO member states, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, will participate in the drill which is geared towards improving earthquake relief capabilities,

SCO observing states such as India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan were also sending groups to watch, but not participate in the drill.

Luo Pingfei, China's vice minister of civil affairs, said Monday at the departure ceremony in Beijing that he hoped Chinese participants would display the same skills and spirit of persistence as they have done after last May's 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Sichuan Province.

SCO members signed an agreement on mutual assistance in disaster relief in Moscow in October 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2009)