Putin, the first Russian president who paid a visit to Japan for a bilateral meeting in the past 11 years, met Abe in the Japanese prime minister's home prefecture of Yamaguchi and then in Tokyo for talks on territorial dispute, peace treaty issues as well as economic cooperation.
Russia and Japan have not signed a peace treaty formalizing the end of World War II mainly due to a territory row over four small islands in the Pacific which are called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia..
The two sides agreed to start consultations on joint economic activities on the four disputed islands held by Russia but claimed by Japan, saying that it would mark an important step towards reaching a postwar peace treaty between the two countries that will formally end WWII, according to a press statement released by the two governments after their leaders' meeting.
Observers here, however, have noted that no progress seems to have been made over the dispute on sovereignty of the islands, with Japan still insisting the islands are its inherent territory, while Russia urging Japan to recognize the outcome of war.
Putin stressed at a joint press conference with Abe on Friday the legitimacy of Russia's acquiring for the four Pacific islands following the WWII, though agreeing on the importance of a peace treaty.
"There are security issues," Putin said. "We have two naval bases in Vladivostok, from where our ships go out to the Pacific....We'd like the Japanese side to take all these concerns into account."
"It would be naive to think we can solve this problem in an hour," Putin said, adding that the isles row can not be solved soon.
Abe, who has been eager to make a breakthrough to the issue, brought down his tune Friday, saying that "concluding a peace treaty that has not been concluded in more than 70 years is not easy," though still vowing continued efforts to push forward the issue.
The two sides stressed that joint activities on the disputed islands will be held "under a special framework" so that it won't "infringe on the sovereignty positions of either side," and consultations on such a framework will be launched.
The lack of progress has caused disappointment and dissatisfaction among many Japanese whose hopes for solving the territorial issue has been boosted by Abe's show of determination earlier.
[china.org.cn/Xinhua]
17/12/16
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