Russia, Japan set up commission of historians on peace treaty

TOKYO, July 5 (Itar-Tass) - Russia and Japan have set up a joint
commission of historians to look into problems of a peace treaty and the
territorial dispute. The first meeting of the commission may be held
already in December, the head of the Russian president's administration,
Sergei Naryshkin, said in Tokyo on Tuesday.
"At the present moment a commission has been set up to study thorny
issues in the history of relations between Russia and Japan. Earlier, we
repeatedly offered to set up such an organisation," Naryshkin said.
"We believe that different approaches to peace treaty issues are
determined a lot by differences in points of view on causes and results of
WWII. I expect that the first meeting of historians will be held already
next December," Naryshkin stressed.
He also said that the Russian side of the group would be led by rector
of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) Anatoly
Torkunov. The Japanese side of the commission will include specialists
from the National Defence Academy of Japan, Naryshkin said.
A more favourable atmosphere exists at the present moment for
discussing a peace treaty between Russia and Japan, he stressed. During
his visit, Naryshkin met in Tokyo with Prime minister Naoto Kan, other top
officials from the Japanese government, parliamentarians, public
representatives and business people.
"The problem of a peace treaty was of course discussed at these
meetings. A more favourable atmosphere in a dialogue between Russia and
Japan has developed of late, it has become more favourable for discussions
on existing problems," he said.
"The Japanese side agrees that the dialogue must be maintained only in
a calm atmosphere, without setting forth preliminary conditions,"
Naryshkin stressed.