Japan not to accept idea of return of 2 of 4 disputed islands: Hatoyama+

SINGAPORE, Nov. 15 Kyodo -
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told his Russian counterpart Dmitry
Medvedev on Sunday that he will not accept the idea of settling the territorial
dispute involving four Russian-controlled islands off Hokkaido by the return of
two smaller islands.

''The (Japanese) public and us (the government) cannot understand (the idea of)
the return of two islands. I would like you to show a non-stereotypical
approach that goes beyond such an idea,'' Hatoyama told reporters after meeting
the Russian president in Singapore, quoting his remarks at the talks.
Medvedev told Hatoyama that Russia truly hopes to advance negotiations on the
territorial row while Hatoyama is in office, a Japanese delegation source said.
Hatoyama quoted Medvedev as telling him that Moscow wants to seek a
''pragmatic'' solution to the dispute without employing an approach based on
the thinking of the Cold War era.
The two leaders agreed that they would meet again in December in Copenhagen if
they attend a key U.N. climate change conference to be held in the Danish
capital, according to Hatoyama.
Hatoyama told Medvedev that he plans to send his foreign minister, Katsuya
Okada, to Russia soon to discuss the issue, which has prevented the two
countries from signing a peace treaty, with Russian officials.
The territorial row involves Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai islet
group -- known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as the
Southern Kurils.
Moscow has argued that it will hand over two of the four islands after
concluding a peace treaty. Japan insists that all four islands should be
returned.
A 1956 joint declaration, signed in Moscow in the midst of the Cold War,
stipulated that Shikotan Island and the Habomai islet group would be returned
to Japan after a peace treaty is concluded between Japan and the then Soviet
Union.
On the economic front, Medvedev requested that the two countries boost tie-ups
in the energy, transport and high-tech areas, according to the delegation
source.
The Singapore talks came after the two agreed in September that the two
countries will try to solve the territorial dispute and sign a peace treaty
during the lifetime of the current generation.
The two leaders were in the city state for a two-day summit of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum that ended Sunday.
==Kyodo
2009-11-15 21:58:59