Russia Prepared For Dialog on Peace Treaty With Japan - Lavrov
MOSCOW. March 15 (Interfax) - Moscow is again prepared for dialog with Japan on the problem of a peace treaty, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"Concerning the territorial problem we are prepared to continue the dialogue on the peace treaty and we have a big stake in this," Lavrov said in an interview with the NHK television company.
Moscow wants the peace treaty to be comprehensive and to reflect "the tasks which Russia and Japan will tackle jointly on a bilateral basis and in matters of security, which are becoming increasingly important," the Russian foreign minister said.
"Of course, dialogue and talks are only possible in the absence of unilateral terms and unilateral interpretations of historical facts. Our leaders have agreed that the dialog must proceed calmly, and without emotions and ultimatums," he said.
Various organizations in Japan voice radical demands, Lavrov said, including organizations, financed by the Japanese government.
"When these radical extremist views are shared by the Japanese leadership, dialogue becomes unfeasible, he said.
"If we comply with the basic agreement to create the necessary atmosphere, and to stop encouraging extremist and radical demands and actions similar to the desecration of the Russian national flag by Japanese extremists, such a dialogue will become quite possible," Lavrov said.
The Russian position is based on the inviolability of the outcome of World War II, Lavrov said.
"The issue of the outcome of World War II has been raised by our Japanese neighbors all through the post-war dialogue. The Russian approach is that this outcome cannot be reconsidered. Unfortunately, our
Japanese colleagues look at this from a different angle," he said.
"If we are to move forward, we must begin with acknowledging the results of World War II as stated in the UN Charter," he said.
The results of World War II involve territorial changes which were a subject of talks between the winning powers and sealed in the UN Charter, he continued.
This problem no longer exists in Russia's relations with Germany, he said. "Germany unconditionally recognized the outcome of World war II and signed a treaty with the Soviet Union back in 1990, and no one has doubted the outcome of World War II in the West," the Russian foreign minister said.
"I do hope that this fact will be recognized on Russia's eastern borders, which will allow us to continue the talks on the peace treaty without any unilateral demands and unilateral interpretations of historical facts. We are prepared for this. But this process must be mutual. We need an atmosphere that would orient the Russian and Japanese public to look at each other as friends and discourage extremist and radical actions, which do not make you or us happy," he said.
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