Time needed for dialogue on setting parameters for Russia-Japan peace treaty - lawmaker

TOKYO, November 1. /TASS/. Russia and Japan are holding consultations on drafting a peace treaty, but it will take a while to start speaking about certain parameters of the document, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said on Tuesday. "Consultations (on the peace treaty) are actively being held between both countries’ deputy foreign ministers. No doubt, patience and hard work are needed here. Time is needed to start speaking about certain parameters of such a peace treaty," Matviyenko said. Matviyenko said the sides should search for mutually acceptable solutions for concluding a peace treaty. "This is the essence of talks taking into account modern reality - to find such a solution that would suit both parties." The upper house speaker expressed confidence that the Russian and Japanese diplomats "are able to find a mutually acceptable version of a peace treaty." Russia and Japan should make every effort not to miss a chance of opening a new page of cooperation, she said. "For this it is important to create the atmosphere of trust and parliamentarians are also working on it." The problem of the southern Kuril Islands is the key obstacle to a complete normalization of the Russian-Japanese ties and the signing of a peace treaty. After the Second World War, all Kuril Islands were made part of the Soviet Union. But Japan does not agree that the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai island group belong to Russia. Tokyo calls the islands "Northern Territories". This December, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to pay a visit to Japan. He is due to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on December 15 in Nagato in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Local media reports earlier said Putin could also visit Tokyo for an economic forum. Read more