Moscow ready for joint activity with Tokyo on Kurils under Russian laws - Matviyenko

TOKYO, November 1. /TASS/. Russia will be prepared for joint economic activity on the Kuril Islands with Japan, provided it is conducted under Moscow’s jurisdiction, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko told a news conference in Tokyo. "We will be prepared for various formats of economic activity on the Kuril islands," Matviyenko said, adding that "such joint economic activity can proceed only under Russian jurisdiction and Russian laws." Russia had already formulated its proposals addressed to the Japanese counterparts regarding possible economic cooperation on the Kurils, she said. "I am certain that these proposals will be discussed further. I believe that both Russia and Japan should be interested in this," Matviyenko added. She sees quite a few opportunities for this. "I do hope that at a certain stage we will be able to agree on the formats of such joint economic activity on the Kuril Islands," she believes. Russia and Japan have for many decades been trying to develop a peace treaty, but the jurisdiction over the southern part of the Kuril Islands has been the stumbling block. After World War II the Soviet Union took over all islands of the Kuril archipelago. Japan lays claim to four islands - Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai. In 1956 the Soviet Union and Japan signed a joint declaration terminating the state of war between them, but a peace treaty has not been concluded to this day. Read more