Russia AF patrolling in Pacific no threat to Japan - Russia FM.  

    MOSCOW, September 12 (Itar-Tass) - Airspace patrolling by planes of
the Russian Air Force in the Pacific area poses no threat to Japan, the
Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Monday.
    "According to information coming to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the
Japanese authorities in recent days have been making active signals of
some Tokyo's "concern" in connection with the airspace patrolling over the
Pacific Ocean conducted by two Tupolev Tu-95MS long-range strategic
bombers of the Russian Air Force," the Russian ministry said.
    "In this regard, we consider it necessary to note that the said
patrolling was carried out over neutral waters in strict compliance with
international rules, without violating the borders of other states, for
the purposes of fulfilling a set of training tasks," the RF Foreign
Ministry noted. "Such flights are common practice for the armed forces of
any state, including, as we understand, Japan." "And the air navigation
warning about the above flights of the Russian Air Force aircraft had been
transferred to the Japanese side in advance, according to the established
procedure of international law," the Russian ministry emphasised.
    "Thus, it is quite clear that the actions of the two aircraft cannot
be qualified as posing a threat to Japan, the more so indicative of
Russia's 'hostile plans' to this neighbouring country," the Russian
Foreign Ministry stated. "If such views exist in Tokyo, they are
absolutely groundless, cause surprise and suggest that certain forces in
Japan are trying to use any excuses, even the most far-fetched, to whip up
anti-Russian sentiment, thereby darkening the atmosphere of relations
between our countries."
    "Moscow proceeds from the importance of the further advance of
Russian-Japanese relations in various fields, as agreed by the two
countries' leaders in a telephone conversation on September 6, 2011," the
Russian Foreign Ministry stressed. "In our view, it includes the
maintenance and expansion of contacts also in the military sphere,
including on issues of ensuring security in the Asia-Pacific region. We
hope that Tokyo shares this approach."
    -0-ezh/ast