Medvedev preparing to visit disputed Kunashiri Island on Wed.

MOSCOW, Sept. 28 Kyodo -
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is preparing to visit Kunashiri Island, one
of four Russian-held islands claimed by Japan, on Wednesday, sources close to
Japan-Russia relations said Tuesday.
Medvedev would be the first Russian leader to visit one of the disputed
islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in
Russia. None of the leaders of the former Soviet Union visited the area.
Since news media in Russia's Far Eastern Sakhalin Province reported Monday that
Medvedev may visit the island, Japanese government officials have warned that
such a visit would seriously damage bilateral relations.
Medvedev is making arrangements to arrive at Kunashiri airport on Wednesday
morning via Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on his return from Shanghai, the sources said,
adding that the president is also seeking to visit Etorofu Island, another of
the disputed islands.
The Russian president is currently visiting China.
A final decision on whether Medvedev will fly to the island will be made
Wednesday morning depending on weather conditions as flights in the region are
often disrupted by poor weather.
The bilateral row over the islands, also including Shikotan and the Habomai
islet group off Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido, has prevented the two
countries from signing a post-World War II peace treaty.
==Kyodo