MOSCOW. Feb 13 (Interfax) - The future peace treaty with Tokyo should aim at building a genuine partnership, Russian Ambassador in Tokyo Mikhail Galuzin told Interfax in an interview.
"I am inclined to agree with the opinion that life marches on and that the relations we currently have with Japan is a mature relationship of two neighbors, two major actors on the world stage, which differ from the relations that existed in the end of that war by their essence, quality, and level," Galuzin said.
"I think that the future peace treaty should definitely reflect this trend and the aspiration for long-term development of Russian-Japanese relations towards the establishment and strengthening of a genuine partnership and neighborliness," he said.
The Declaration of 1956 ended the state of war between Russia and Japan, restored peace and neighborly and friendly relations between the two countries, and pledged further talks on the conclusion of a peace treaty, Galuzin said.
A bilateral partnership is a long way off, "we have yet to build a genuine partnership," he said.
As for what Japan could do to make Russia its partner, Galuzin said, "I'd rather not tell Japan what to do; it is an independent country and I believe it knows what should be done."
"All I can say is that in the recognition of the results of WWII by our Japanese partners, the lifting of security concerns, broad cooperation on the world stage, and the resolution of acute international problems, we see advancement toward a Russian-Japanese partnership," Galuzin said.