ID :
148438
Tue, 11/02/2010 - 15:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/148438
The shortlink copeid
Japan PM hopes to meet Russia president at APEC summit.
TOKYO, November 2 (Itar-Tass) - The Japanese government believes that the country's Prime Minister Naoto Kan will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev when he comes here to take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said at a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
"I think that this meeting will take place," he said answering a
journalist question.
The Japanese government on Monday made a formal protest and expressed
great regret over the visit of Dmitry Medvedev to the Southern Kuriles,
which Tokyo considers its "northern territories." This protest was
strongly rejected by the Russian side.
The APEC summit will be held in the port city of Yokohama on 13-14
November. It will bring together leaders from 21 countries and territories
included in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Among them, in
particular, will be senior leaders of Russia, China, USA, Japan, South
Korea and South-East Asian states.
According to the Kyodo news agency, Sengoku said he does not know what
was behind Medvedev's decision to visit Kunashir Island. But he said the
government is considering what kind of "appropriate measures" to take over
the visit by Medvedev, who became the first leader from Russia or the
former Soviet Union to travel to any of the islands. Asked whether more
weight will be given to tough measures or to calm negotiations, Sengoku
said the government is not forced to choose between the two options.
The islands of Iturup (Etorofu), Kunashir (Kunashiri) and Shikotan, as
well as the Habomai islet group were seized by the Soviet Union between
August 28 and September 5, 1945, following Japan's surrender in World War
II on August 15. Japan claims the islands, called the Northern
Territories, were occupied illegally. They are known as the Southern
Kurils in Russia. Medvedev's visit to Kunashiri took place at a time when
Kan's government is embroiled in a serious diplomatic row with China over
the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, according to
Kyodo. Sengoku said the visit had nothing to do with the government's
diplomatic skills, noting that talks between Japan and Russia regarding
the islands had not been fruitful even before the Democratic Party of
Japan swept to power in September 2009.
-0-ezh/ast
"I think that this meeting will take place," he said answering a
journalist question.
The Japanese government on Monday made a formal protest and expressed
great regret over the visit of Dmitry Medvedev to the Southern Kuriles,
which Tokyo considers its "northern territories." This protest was
strongly rejected by the Russian side.
The APEC summit will be held in the port city of Yokohama on 13-14
November. It will bring together leaders from 21 countries and territories
included in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Among them, in
particular, will be senior leaders of Russia, China, USA, Japan, South
Korea and South-East Asian states.
According to the Kyodo news agency, Sengoku said he does not know what
was behind Medvedev's decision to visit Kunashir Island. But he said the
government is considering what kind of "appropriate measures" to take over
the visit by Medvedev, who became the first leader from Russia or the
former Soviet Union to travel to any of the islands. Asked whether more
weight will be given to tough measures or to calm negotiations, Sengoku
said the government is not forced to choose between the two options.
The islands of Iturup (Etorofu), Kunashir (Kunashiri) and Shikotan, as
well as the Habomai islet group were seized by the Soviet Union between
August 28 and September 5, 1945, following Japan's surrender in World War
II on August 15. Japan claims the islands, called the Northern
Territories, were occupied illegally. They are known as the Southern
Kurils in Russia. Medvedev's visit to Kunashiri took place at a time when
Kan's government is embroiled in a serious diplomatic row with China over
the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, according to
Kyodo. Sengoku said the visit had nothing to do with the government's
diplomatic skills, noting that talks between Japan and Russia regarding
the islands had not been fruitful even before the Democratic Party of
Japan swept to power in September 2009.
-0-ezh/ast
