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“No breakthrough in peace treaty talks”
// Japan’s new Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone dwells on relations with Russia
Yesterday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Japan for a visit. Today he conducts talks with his Japanese counterpart Hirofumi Nakasone. It is going to be the first meeting of the two ministers after the recent government reshuffle in Japan. Ahead of the negotiations, Mr Nakasone told Interfax correspondent Timur Khursandov about the outlook for a peace treaty between Russia and Japan. Timur Khursandov reports specially for Kommersant.
“Mr Minister, what are your priorities, namely as far as the relations with Russia are concerned?”
“In his keynote speech in Japan’s Parliament Prime Minister Taro Aso outlined the country’s foreign policy, which is aimed at contributing to the country’s stability and prosperity, development with our Asia-Pacific partners, specifically China, the Republic of Korea and Russia. It gives an opportunity to step up cooperation between the countries in a wide range of matters, including economy and trade, which are developing according to the Japanese-Russian plan. In three years there has been quite an improvement in our economic relations: trade turnover has grown threefold, investing in production industries has been launched. It is expected that turnover between Japan and Russia will reach $30 billion. Provided that in the Soviet times it amounted to some $6 billion, one could say that trade between our states is flourishing. Japan ranks third among the G8 states on the list of Russia’s trade partners (after Germany and Italy). But those countries import a lot of energy resources from Russia, but the Russian-Japanese turnover volume does not include liquefied natural gas import, which we are going to launch next year. So, the trade turnover between our states will certainly boost.”
“What about the peace treaty between Russian and Japan?”
“There is no breakthrough in peace treaty talks between our countries, which is odd. As long as the Japanese-Russian relations continue to develop in such significant international landings as the G8 and the UN, and as long as Russia strengthens its ties with Asia-Pacific, this oddity becomes more palpable. The Japanese-Russian relations are only 200 years old, they are relatively young. To take them to a new level, it is absolutely necessary to conclude a peace treaty settling the matter of the four islands. During their meeting in July our heads of state confirmed their commitment to sincerely conduct talks at the highest level, proceeding upon the documents adopted before as well as previous agreements regarding the peace treaty, which will resolve territorial issues once and for all. They also confirmed their determination to advance in this area. During the meeting with Sergei Lavrov on November 5 we will apply maximum effort to find a mutually acceptable solution.”
“Are Japanese companies still willing to expand their presence in Russia given the drastic fall in the world financial markets?”
“The number of Japanese companies in Russia totaled 350 in October, 2007. Their business niches range from traditional natural resources and energy production to production industries. In addition, provided the deteriorating situation in the U.S. mortgage market, in June it was decided to give a $5.3 billion loan to the “Sakhalin-2” project by the Japanese International Cooperation Bank and a group of private banks. Also, crediting of Russia expands. It gives an impetus to the bilateral relations and contributes to the development of the Russian economy in terms of attracting investments. As for the car industry, in addition to building Japanese car assembling plants in Russia, it is expected that the activity in this sphere will expand to local parts production, which will back such plants.”
“Is Japan interested in stepping up cooperation with Russia in energy and increasing energy supplies, including via the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline project?”
“Mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia, which exports energy resources, and Japan, which imports them, is possible. Russia has recently done much to develop its Far East and East Siberia, and their integration in Asia-Pacific. The Far East and East Siberia’s energy supplies, including the construction of a pipeline, foster this process. When laying a pipeline, it is vital to ensure adequate oil supplies. In April Japan’s national oil, gas and metals (JOGMEC) and Irkutsk oil company started developing oil fields, and in August JOGMEC and United Oil Group concluded an agreement for joint field development. Also, Sakhalin projects are successfully carried out. We expect outlining concrete projects from developing fields and refining crude oil to supplying oil in accordance with the agreements reached between Japan’s agency for natural resources and energy with Gazprom and Rosneft. We are also keen on developing coal reserves in the Far East and East Siberia. As for the peaceful atom program, we are working on a Japanese-Russian agreement.”
“Does Japan agree with some representatives of western countries that Russia should be denied G8 membership?”
“I don’t think that G8 leaders have made a statement that Russia should be excluded from the G8, and G7 should be restored. In either case, it is important to Japan that Russia should act with the responsibility of a G8 member.”
“Which measures should the world’s leading economic powers undertake to overcome the current financial crisis?”
“As this year’s G8 chair, and having experience in overcoming a financial crisis, Japan intends to demonstrate a leading role in contributing to that meeting’s success, holding consultations with all parties involved, including the U.S. On November 15 the Group of 20 will gather in Washington. Japan considers that the summit’s priorities should be ensuring the implementation of the “Group of Seven” plan, overhauling the regulation of financial bodies and markets, strengthening the global financial system, and undertaking measures to help LDCs.”
Timur Khursandov
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 05, 2008
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