Japan's new PM to actively contact Russia, approach S Kurils issue.

11/6 Tass 113

TOKYO, June 11 (Itar-Tass) -- Japan's new Prime Minister Naoto Kan is
intended to "energetically" promote the relations with Russia in politics
and the economy, to approach the settlement of the South Kurils problem
and the signing of a peace treaty.
"I shall deal with relations with Russia energetically," he said in
his programme speech at the parliament on Friday. "I shall push them
forward, like the wheels of a cart, both in politics and the economy, so
that to have a peace treaty and to settle the issue of the Northern
Territories - the biggest problem in our relations."
This idea is similar to the position of former prime ministers,
expressed in their programme speeches earlier. At the same time, Naoto Kan'
s speech on Friday, did not contain the idea voiced by Yukio Hatoyama
/former prime minister/ that Tokyo considers Russia to be its important
partner in the Asian-Pacific Region.
Before taking office, Naoto Kan was not involved in diplomacy, nor did
he give any comments on relations with Russia. Over his first news
conference, he said that he was not informed well on all aspects of the
dialogues with Russia where his predecessors were involved.

-0-kar/ast