Japan, Russia Agree to Continue Talks on Disputed Isles

Moscow, Dec. 28 (Jiji Press)--Japan and Russia on Monday agreed to
continue constructive talks on the four Russian-held islands at the center
of a bilateral territorial dispute.
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his Russian counterpart
Sergei Lavrov made the agreement at a meeting here, which marked the first
conference between the two countries' foreign ministers since November 2008.
Okada told Lavrov that it is a problem that there has been no
noticeable progress in solving the two countries' dispute on the
northwestern Pacific islands off Japan's northernmost prefecture of
Hokkaido.
Lavrov said Russia will never try to intentionally delay a
resolution to the territorial row.
Japan should fully take into account the reality of the islands
since the end of World War II and international laws related to the dispute,
he also said.
Calling for an early end to the dispute, Okada said the two
countries cannot make any progress unless they strive to resolve the issue
while Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin are in office.
At a news conference after the meeting, Lavrov said that in an open
attitude, Russia is exploring what Medvedev has described as a creative
approach to the territorial issue.
But it is not the time to disclose details of the approach, he also
said. This remark signals that the two ministers may have exchanged views on
a Russian proposal on the territorial issue.
The Japanese side did not clarify whether the two discussed the
proposed creative approach.
Okada and Lavrov confirmed the need for an early resumption of
six-party talks aimed at scrapping North Korea's nuclear programs. The two
countries also agreed to start talks among their senior officials on
measures to ensure the peace and stability of Afghanistan.