[ISL] "Putin Sees Opening With Japan on World War II Island Dispute"
Bloomberg's article suggests a compromise such as desired by the Japanese, with a transfer of sovereignty over one or more of the islands, is not in the offing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin struck a conciliatory tone before talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a territorial dispute that’s prevented the countries from signing a World War II peace treaty.
Resolving the conflict over four islands occupied by the Soviet Union in the final days of the war should be part of “setting the stage for the development of inter-governmental relations for the long term,” Putin said in an interview on Thursday as he prepared to meet with Abe at the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia’s Pacific port city of Vladivostok on Friday.
“We’re not talking about some exchange or some sale,” Putin said. “We are talking about finding a solution where neither of the parties would feel defeated or a loser.”
The two leaders, especially Abe, seem keen to show that momentum is building toward a settlement on the island spat. Abe said after the talks that he and Putin had a deep discussion about a peace treaty and that he has a good feeling about making progress with a new approach, according to the Kyodo news service. They’ll meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru in November and will continue talks when Putin visits Abe’s home prefecture of Yamaguchi in southern Japan on Dec. 15, Kyodo reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin struck a conciliatory tone before talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a territorial dispute that’s prevented the countries from signing a World War II peace treaty.
Resolving the conflict over four islands occupied by the Soviet Union in the final days of the war should be part of “setting the stage for the development of inter-governmental relations for the long term,” Putin said in an interview on Thursday as he prepared to meet with Abe at the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia’s Pacific port city of Vladivostok on Friday.
“We’re not talking about some exchange or some sale,” Putin said. “We are talking about finding a solution where neither of the parties would feel defeated or a loser.”
The two leaders, especially Abe, seem keen to show that momentum is building toward a settlement on the island spat. Abe said after the talks that he and Putin had a deep discussion about a peace treaty and that he has a good feeling about making progress with a new approach, according to the Kyodo news service. They’ll meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru in November and will continue talks when Putin visits Abe’s home prefecture of Yamaguchi in southern Japan on Dec. 15, Kyodo reported.