Russia, Japan agree to expand cooperation

MOSCOW - Russian foreign and defense ministers and their Japanese counterparts have agreed to explore further cooperation in security and diplomacy, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The consensus was reached during the third round of consultations between the two countries in the "2+2" format, according to a transcript of the ministry.

"Both sides expressed readiness to expand practical cooperation in the sphere of security. We are united in the fact that the situation in the Asia-Pacific region is very difficult, as is the world arena as a whole," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Moscow and Tokyo are also expressing hope that business ties between the two countries will help solve a long-standing dispute over four Pacific islands.

The territorial dispute over the islands, known as the Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan, has been going for decades and Moscow and Tokyo have not yet signed a peace treaty to mark the end of World War II because of this issue.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev approved the deployment of Russian warplanes on one of the islands in February.

Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday that Japanese businessmen will soon travel to the islands to develop joint economic projects.

He also shared Moscow's concerns over Japan's plans to install two US anti-missile systems. Russia fears they could be used for offensive purposes, AP reported.

Meanwhile, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said that Tokyo had asked Russia to reduce its military activity on the island chain.

"We have asked the Russian side to take particular measures because Russia is building up its military potential on the four northern islands," Onodera said after meeting his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, in Moscow.

The ministers of the two countries confirmed their focus on cooperation in the field of combating terrorism, ensuring international information security and combating corruption, Lavrov said.

Peninsula issue

They also welcomed the positive developments on the Korean Peninsula and urged all parties involved to maintain the fragile peace process with restraint and flexibility.

"Russia and Japan are in favor of ensuring that the problems of the peninsula are resolved in a comprehensive manner, taking into account the interests of all states located in Northeast Asia," Lavrov said.

The two sides also exchanged views on issues related to the Middle East and Syria, with special attention on humanitarian tasks including facilitating the return of refugees, aid deliveries and restoring infrastructure.

The "2+2" format was first adopted at a Russian-Japanese meeting in Tokyo in November 2013. Following the breakout of the Ukraine crisis in March 2014, Japan suspended the negotiations, which were not resumed until March 2017, when the ministers met in Tokyo.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East.

Xinhua - Reuters - Ap

(China Daily 08/02/2018 page11)