MOSCOW. Feb 13 (Interfax) - Russia has not discussed its sovereignty over the Southern Kuril Islands or their possible cession to Japan in talks with this country, Russian Ambassador in Tokyo Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with Interfax.
"As concerns Russia's sovereignty over the islands, this matter, as well as the matter of their cession, has not been discussed in negotiations with Japan," Galuzin said when asked whether Russia could cede to Japan at least two of the four islands mentioned in the 1956 Soviet-Japanese declaration.
"Russia has not set any preconditions" in the talks, he said.