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RIA Novosti
The talks of Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin was intense and Frank, stated at a press conference, Secretary General of the government of Japan Acehide Suga.
“Taking into account the working dinner, the negotiations lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes and was rich both in time and content. The content of the talks between the two leaders was candid and tight,” said Suga.
He said that the leaders confirmed the specific progress in negotiations on signing a peace Treaty, which was agreed in December last year during Putin’s visit to Japan.
Suga stressed that the discussed issues of joint economic activity, agreement was reached about the possibility of a Charter service between Japan and the four Islands of the South Kuril Islands and increases points of entry for the Japanese on these Islands. In addition, it was decided to send to the Islands bilateral group of representatives of the government and business circles to study the possibilities of cooperative economic activities.
“These three points were agreed. We consider it a good result,” — said Suga.
Government’s Secretary-General also reported that there had been a Frank exchange of views on the issues of North Korea and Syria.
The absence of a peace Treaty for many years overshadowed Russian-Japanese relations. Japan claims the Islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai, referring to bilateral Treatise on trade and borders of 1855. The return of the Islands Tokyo made it a condition of signing a peace Treaty with Russia, which after the Second world war and was not signed. The position of Moscow consists that southern Kuriles became part of the Soviet Union at the end of the Second world war and the Russian sovereignty over them has the appropriate international legal formalization.