Ban on Transfer of Russian Land May Help in Talks on Territorial Disputes - Think Tank

ROME (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th February, 2020) Creating a constitutional amendment that bans the official transfer of Russian land could become another key element in negotiations on outstanding territorial disputes, Tiberio Graziani, the chairman of Vision and Global Trends, the International Institute for Global Analyses, told Sputnik.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the working group responsible for drafting the amendments. In response to concerns about the possible official transfer of Russian land after the end of Putin's term, the participants of the meeting suggested that the constitution include a ban on such transfers. The president welcomed the proposal and asked lawyers to formulate the respective amendment.

"As for agreeing with the proposal prohibiting the official transfer of Russian lands, Putin confirmed the concept, which is generally expressed in the constitution of any country.

It is about state sovereignty and inviolability of borders," Graziani said, adding that this idea can become a key element in current negotiations on territorial disputes, such as the one regarding the Kuril Islands.

Russia and Japan are currently trying to settle a longstanding disagreement on who owns a group of four islands � Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai. They are collectively referred to as the Southern Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan. The future of the islands has become the main stumbling block preventing the two states from strengthening their relations. The amendment in question may contribute to the negotiation process if adopted.