Okada to visit Russia from Dec. 27 to discuss territorial issue+

TOKYO, Dec. 18 Kyodo -
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada will make a two-day visit to Russia from Dec. 27
for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov over a long-standing
territorial dispute and other issues, Okada told a regular press conference
Friday.
But he noted that the issue involving the four Russian-held islands off
Hokkaido is ''not a matter that will show any drastic progress over a short
period'' and that he wants to hold discussions in a ''calm manner.''
Although Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is known for his ties with
Russia and expressed his eagerness to resolve the issue shortly after taking
office in September, there has so far been no significant progress on the
matter.
The talks between the foreign ministers are expected to be held on Dec. 28 and
Okada said he will return to Japan the following day.
In a meeting between Hatoyama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in New York
in September, the two agreed to hold foreign ministerial-level meetings to
discuss the issue.
The dispute involves four islands -- Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the
Habomai islet group -- known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia
as the Southern Kurils. The territorial dispute has prevented the two countries
from signing a post-World War II peace treaty.
Hatoyama is the grandson of former Prime Minister Ichiro Hatoyama who signed
the 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration that led the two countries to resume
diplomatic relations.
==Kyodo
2009-12-18 22:48:55