Dec 19 2005 4:16PM
Absence of peace treaty no barrier to normal Russia-Japan ties - Russian Ambassador to Tokyo Alexander Losyukov

MOSCOW. Dec 19 (Interfax) - Russian Ambassador to Tokyo Alexander Losyukov said that the absence of a peace treaty between Russia and Japan is not a barrier to further development of normal relations between the two countries.

"Any committed observer understands that relations between our countries are developing successfully in the absence of a peace treaty," the Russian diplomat told Interfax on Monday

Losyukov said, however, that the work on the peace treaty is important and that "other forms of legal settlement could also be found."

The problem is how the settlement of the border delimitation, if it is attained, should be documented," the Russian diplomat said.

"This could be done by adopting another legal act," he added.

Losyukov said that the Joint Declaration, signed by the Soviet Union and Japan on October 19, 1956, is a valid document, ratified by both countries, which provides a legal basis for Russian-Japanese ties. It ended war and restored relations between the two countries after World War II.

"Russia has said on many occasions that it is prepared for talks on the implementation of this agreement, which is, in fact, an international agreement. The document says in clear and unambiguous terms what the subject of the agreement is. The Declaration conveys readiness to transfer two South Kuril islands to Japan only after a peace treaty is concluded," Losyukov said.

"Instead, we are being tricked into discussions of a different interpretation of this document. We can't accept such an approach," said Losyukov. Losyukov said that it would be wise of Moscow and Tokyo to postpone the consideration of their territorial disputes and focus on developing relations in other areas.

"This is my personal opinion, why don't we just put the issue on ice and switch to fine-tuning relations in other areas?" Losyukov told Interfax on Monday.

"The room for negotiations, for maneuvers is very narrow," he said.

"In fact, negotiations on whether there is a base for negotiations should take place. If there is no base, and the situation is such as it is now, then there might be no point in wasting time trying to persuade each other of the existence of a 'historical wrong.' We are not likely to be successful," the diplomat said.

Russia "has not changed and will not change" its principled stance as far as border settlements are concerned: however, Russia is ready to negotiate a compromise, he said.

"In this context, I believe that a solution to the problem could be found. I think that a solution could be found on the basis of the 1956 Declaration. However, I think that we will never be able to reach agreement based on practical revisions of the results of World War II," Losyukov said, adding that "such a decision can never be accepted in Russia." "Wounds sustained 60 years ago in the war have still to heal: moreover, the role of Japan is still well remembered in Russia," the ambassador said.

"However, one should clearly understand that a solution could be based only on Japan's recognition of objective realities created after World War II," he said.

"Japan was not an innocent victim of the war. The results were dictated by Japan's policy," the ambassador said, adding that Russia is willing to develop "normal, full-scale relations with Japan."

Cooperation between Russia and Japan in the construction of the East Siberia - Pacific oil pipeline will be beneficial for both economies, Russian Ambassador in Tokyo Alexander Losyukov said.

"We would like Japanese partners to get involved in the billion- dollar project, and we think that this cooperation will be beneficial for our economies," he said.

Russian-Japanese energy cooperation, primarily in the development of oil and gas fields in Siberia and the Russian Far East, is a key sphere of bilateral relations, the ambassador said.

"Japan is highly dependent on imports of raw materials. In this sense, Russia is a logical and beneficial partner," he said.

The oil pipeline project, whose primary target is to bolster the energy infrastructure of eastern Russian regions, "naturally, meets the interests of our regional neighbors, including Japan," he said.

The ambassador noted "the impressive dynamics of growth" in Russian-Japanese economic cooperation this year.

"First of all, I would note a considerable growth in bilateral trade. Trade neared $7.5 billion ($8.9 billion, according to Japan) in 2004, and this year we may top $10 billion," Losyukov said. Japan's involvement in economic projects on the South Kurils should not call into question Russia's sovereignty on the islands, Russian Ambassador in Tokyo Alexander Losyukov told Interfax on Monday.

"Naturally, our Japanese partners should understand that any joint projects on the South Kurils must be based on Russian laws, and we would not accept any exemptions from Russia's sovereignty or its erosion against the background of ongoing demands to return the islands," he said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso suggested joint projects on the South Kurils at a Busan meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov this November. Losyukov said that the idea of turning the South Kurils "from a zone of polemics into a region of concord" through joint economic projects is not new.

The issue has been discussed at various times since the middle of the 1990s, but Japan did not show strong interest and "the subject has not been considered at bilateral negotiations for some time," Losyukov said.

Mutually beneficial cooperation on the South Kurils is a fact: there are visa-free exchange programs, and Japanese fishermen can fish offshore the South Kurils in Russian territorial waters on the basis of an intergovernmental accord, he said.

"Proposals to broaden such cooperation are under consideration," Losyukov said.

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