MOSCOW. Jan 27 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed hope that a visit to Japan he plans for Saturday would help bring the two countries closer to settling their dispute over the South Kuril Islands.
The islands were annexed by the Soviet Union from Japan during World War II and have remained the source of a territorial dispute between Tokyo and Moscow since the end of the war. Tokyo has refused to sign a peace treaty with the Soviet Union and subsequently with Russia as a formal termination of the state of war before the islands are returned to Japan.
"It is only in an atmosphere of building long-term partnership, and only with willingness to seek positive solutions that satisfy both sides, that a calm, unbiased dialogue on the peace treaty problem is possible, including with the participation of historians in the two countries," Lavrov told Japanese news agency Kiodo Tsushin.
"We have repeatedly brought this logic to the attention of our Japanese partners. I expect that in the course of my upcoming negotiations with Mr. Koichiro Gemba [Japanese foreign minister], we will try to bring our views on the abovementioned issues at least a little bit closer together," he said.
He set out three conditions that, he argued, needed to be fulfilled in negotiating a peace treaty.
"First, objective perception of the existing realities by our partners. Primarily the fact that the South Kuril Islands, which you call 'the northern territories,' lawfully became part of our country on the basis of the results of World War II. This is enshrined in the UN Charter, and our sovereignty over those lands is unquestionable," he said.
"Second, it is not worth rocking the boat of Russian-Japanese relations. Namely, public comments and demonstrative acts of various kinds that run against the realities I have mentioned should be avoided," Lavrov said.
"Third, Russia and Japan need comprehensive interaction in economics, the cultural sphere and international affairs, interaction without any artificial restrictions. What I have in mind includes joint economic activities on the South Kurils, something that Russian legislation offers unlimited opportunities for," he said.
A Russian language transcript of the interview is posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, www.mid.ru.