Russia parliament regards Japan envoy's recall as emotional move

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2/11 Tass 148

MOSCOW, November 2 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Federal Assembly regards
the Japanese side's decision on a temporary recall of its ambassador from
Moscow in connection with the visit of the Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev to the Kurile Islands as an emotional move, for which there are
no objective reasons.
"Japan's decision to recall its ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary from Moscow is at least untimely and is prompted more by
emotions than political assessments," said head of the Federation Council
International Affairs Committee Mikhail Margelov.
In the legislator's opinion, this decision is especially untimely if
"it is made on the eve of the 2010 APEC summit (Yokohama, November 13-14)
which is to be attended by President Medvedev and leaders of other
countries which are members of this organisation.
Such a sharp response by Japan to the Russian president's trip to the
Kurile Islands can be explained by very serious domestic political
reasons, "by differences that break asunder the Japanese elite", reckons
the Russian senator.
"Under such a situation, it is easier to consolidate the political
class in confrontation to an outside enemy, some outside threats and
irritants. Japan chose Russia another time as such an outside irritant,"
he said in an interview with the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
"The Russian president and the Russian premier have been always
consistent in their actions from the viewpoint of norms of international
law," stressed, in turn, deputy chairwoman of the State Duma Committee
on Constitutional Legislation Irina Yarovaya (deputy from Kamchatka).
"Besides, the practice of relations that developed between our two
countries over the past years, demonstrates a stable dialogue and
understanding," she added.
"I can say as a representative of the Russian Far East that these are
not only economic and business contacts, but also cultural relations,
tourist exchanges, various social and educational projects." "I should not
like very much that transient emotions can put into doubt cooperation and
good-neighbourly relations, so important for our peoples," she stated.
"The Russian side has never taken actions, giving reasons (for Japan)
for such decisions."
First deputy chairman of the State Duma International Relations
Committee Leonid Slutsky told Itar-Tass that "Tokyo's response, turning
into a recall of the ambassador from Moscow, is improper. This is a
dead-end decision".
According to the legislator, Tokyo, taking such a tone in the dialogue
with Moscow, will only lose, eventually, in the question on the Kurile
Islands. "I'm afraid that a common denominator in the sensitive question
on sovereignty over the Kurile Islands will not be found soon, taking into
account such improperly sharp moves for bilateral relations from the
Japanese side," the deputy believes.
Earlier, Japanese Foreign Minister Seizi Maehara said that the
Japanese government recalls from Moscow its ambassador Masaharu Kono for
some time in order to hear him in connection with the trip by Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev to the South Kuriles on Monday. The Japanese
government lodged an official protest to Russia on Monday in connection
with the trip.
However, It was resolutely turned down by the Russian side. Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the Japanese protest unacceptable.
-0-bur/gor