Abe, Putin to Hold Talks on Thurs.

Tokyo, Sept. 3 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, aiming for progress in negotiations to conclude a World War II peace treaty between their countries. The 27th summit between the two leaders will take place during Abe's three-day visit to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East from Wednesday to attend the Eastern Economic Forum, hosted by the Russian government. In November last year, Abe and Putin agreed to accelerate the peace treaty negotiations based on the 1956 Japan-Soviet declaration. The declaration calls for the handover of Shikotan and the Habomais, two of the four Russian-held northwestern Pacific islands, to Japan after the conclusion of a peace treaty. Abe hoped to conclude the negotiations early. But no concrete progress was made until his latest meeting with Putin, held in the western Japan city of Osaka in June this year. The focus of the planned summit is whether Abe can achieve a breakthrough in the negotiations. Abe is set to participate in the Eastern Economic Forum for four years in a row. He is expected to give a speech at a plenary meeting of the forum Thursday to highlight the significance of economic cooperation between Japan and Russia in the Far East region. Also on Thursday, Abe is scheduled to hold a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are expected to exchange views on ways to boost bilateral security and economic ties ahead of the first "two-plus-two" meeting of their countries' foreign and defense ministers to be held later this year. Abe is also expected to meet with Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga the same day and confirm cooperation to resolve the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago. Abe is set to return home Friday afternoon. END