Russian-Japanese 'two plus two meeting' to be held in May - Japanese politician

MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. Russian and Japanese foreign and defense ministers will hold a "two plus two" meeting in May, Chairman of the Big Earth Japanese political party Muneo Suzuki said at a meeting with head of the Russian Federation Council (upper house) Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev on Thursday. "The parties have maintained high-level contacts. A ‘two plus two meeting’ between our countries’ foreign and defense ministers is due to be held next month," he said. "Separate ministerial meetings are planned as well. Of course, it is noteworthy that [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin will arrive in Osaka on June 28-29 as part of the G20 summit, which is a good trend." According to Suzuki, Federation Council Deputy Speaker Andrei Turchak is expected to visit Japan on May 15-16. "Of course, the territorial issue depends more on decisions at the level of leaders. However, it is important how they are implemented. The atmosphere for signing a peace treaty is created through such top- and high-level contacts," the Japanese politician said. The previous round of "two plus two" Russian-Japanese negotiations between the foreign and defense ministers was held in Moscow on July 31. At that time, the parties discussed steps aimed at bolstering military ties, cooperation on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Syria’s humanitarian problems and the joint economic activities on the Kuril Islands. Read more