Vladimir Putin and Shinzo Abe will have an opportunity to discuss the recent development next week, Japan today reported. Singapore will welcome the bilateral talks, while Russian president and Japanese PM both will be attending international meetings.
Putin and Abe will meet for the first time since the Russian leader suddenly proposed in September that both countries conclude a post-World War II peace treaty by the end of the year “without any preconditions.” The scheduled meeting in Singapore is very convenient for both leaders who arrive at the annual meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from Nov. 13 to 15.
Earlier, Japan has proposed economic cooperation on the Russian-held, Japan-claimed islands off Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido. According to Japan, the isles are called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia. Despite the judicial misunderstandings regarding Kurils, the neighbouring countries are continuing to develop the economic aspect of their relations.
Abe has shown reluctance to accept the proposal, as Japan has made settling a decades-old territorial dispute a precondition for signing a peace treaty. But uncertainties remain, say the diplomats and call to the series of talks, during which both Russia and Japan could elaborate new perspectives for disputed territories.
