Obama Jittery over Abe's Possible Visit to Russia

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)--U.S. President Barack Obama expressed his concern about Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's possible visit to Russia in early May, during their telephone talks on Feb. 9, diplomatic sources told Jiji Press on Tuesday. Obama told Abe that he wants the Japanese leader to postpone his visit to Russia, if any, until after the Group of Seven summit in Japan in late May, according to the sources. Abe was quoted as responding that there are important issues to be resolved between Japan and Russia. The telephone talks were held in response to North Korea's launch of a de facto long-range ballistic missile earlier this month. Abe is scheduled to visit Europe for talks with his G-7 counterparts in the region from late April through early May. On the way back home, he eyes a stopover in Sochi, southwestern Russia, to have talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin there. Through the possible unofficial visit to Russia, Abe is eager to kick-start bilateral territorial talks on four Russian-held northwestern Pacific islands called the Northern Territories in Japan. The prime minister also plans to call for Russia's cooperation in dealing with North Korea, and urge restraint by Russia over the crisis in Ukraine. END