ID :
160465
Sat, 02/12/2011 - 09:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/160465
The shortlink copeid
Chief of Kremlin staff to receive Japanese foreign ambassador Sat.
MOSCOW, February 12 (Itar-Tass) -- The head of Russia's presidential staff, Sergei Naryshkin, will receive Japan's Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara on Saturday.
The themes of the conversation have not been officially announced, but obviously the two men will discuss the traditional problems of bilateral relations, including some very acute ones. On Friday, Maehara discussed them with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
The main question is that of the disputed southern Kuril Islands,
although the possibility of further discussions on this issue has been
practically closed by President Dmitry Medvedev.
"Everyone should understand that these islands are an inalienable
territory of the Russian Federation. It is our strategic region, and we will take all necessary efforts to strengthen our presence on the
islands," Medvedev said this week, after hearing reports by the ministers of defense and regional development on their visits to the Kuril Islands. Medvedev himself has visited the islands in the autumn of 2010.
Medvedev set the task of not only developing the economy of this
region, but also of re-equipping the Russian troops there. At the same
time the Russian leader leaves the door open to those who, as he put it, "do not consider it insulting" to cooperate with Russia in the economic development of the Kuril Islands.
"Certainly, we would like to develop good-neighborly relations with all neighbors, including joint work on a number of facilities on the islands," the president said. "Those who do not consider such cooperation an insult to oneself are invited to interact."
Japan is ready to give thought to economic cooperation with Russia in the northern territories, but without infringement of its juridical position on the islands, said Maehara after talks with Lavrov.
Another sensitive issue is the conclusion of a peace treaty. The
Russian foreign minister insists that "decisions related to the drafting of a peace treaty with Japan are possible only through making arrangements that would enjoy support from the people of both countries." Moreover, in his opinion, "this requires patient, painstaking and good work without any artificial deadlines, preconditions or unilateral historical linkage ...on the basis of the existing principles of international law."
The Japanese diplomat's visit to Moscow is being held a few days after so-called "Northern Territories Day" in Japan, when ultra-right groups in Tokyo managed to block the main gate of the Russian embassy and desecrated the Russian flag. On Friday, Maehara said that Japan was studying the incident involving the desecration of the Russian flag, and that the Japanese Criminal Code envisaged punishment for such wrongdoing.
The themes of the conversation have not been officially announced, but obviously the two men will discuss the traditional problems of bilateral relations, including some very acute ones. On Friday, Maehara discussed them with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
The main question is that of the disputed southern Kuril Islands,
although the possibility of further discussions on this issue has been
practically closed by President Dmitry Medvedev.
"Everyone should understand that these islands are an inalienable
territory of the Russian Federation. It is our strategic region, and we will take all necessary efforts to strengthen our presence on the
islands," Medvedev said this week, after hearing reports by the ministers of defense and regional development on their visits to the Kuril Islands. Medvedev himself has visited the islands in the autumn of 2010.
Medvedev set the task of not only developing the economy of this
region, but also of re-equipping the Russian troops there. At the same
time the Russian leader leaves the door open to those who, as he put it, "do not consider it insulting" to cooperate with Russia in the economic development of the Kuril Islands.
"Certainly, we would like to develop good-neighborly relations with all neighbors, including joint work on a number of facilities on the islands," the president said. "Those who do not consider such cooperation an insult to oneself are invited to interact."
Japan is ready to give thought to economic cooperation with Russia in the northern territories, but without infringement of its juridical position on the islands, said Maehara after talks with Lavrov.
Another sensitive issue is the conclusion of a peace treaty. The
Russian foreign minister insists that "decisions related to the drafting of a peace treaty with Japan are possible only through making arrangements that would enjoy support from the people of both countries." Moreover, in his opinion, "this requires patient, painstaking and good work without any artificial deadlines, preconditions or unilateral historical linkage ...on the basis of the existing principles of international law."
The Japanese diplomat's visit to Moscow is being held a few days after so-called "Northern Territories Day" in Japan, when ultra-right groups in Tokyo managed to block the main gate of the Russian embassy and desecrated the Russian flag. On Friday, Maehara said that Japan was studying the incident involving the desecration of the Russian flag, and that the Japanese Criminal Code envisaged punishment for such wrongdoing.
