Russia does not discuss at talks with Japan the transfer of the southern Kuril Islands, claimed by Tokyo, Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with Sputnik.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2019) Russia does not discuss at talks with Japan the transfer of the southern Kuril Islands, claimed by Tokyo, Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with Sputnik.
"First of all, we do not discuss the sovereignty over the South Kurils and their transfer issues in negotiations with Japan," Galuzin emphasized.
According to the ambassador, "the goal is to develop our relations step-by-step at a qualitative level."
"In our opinion, such a new development of relations implies, in the first place, Japan's full recognition of the results of the Second World War," Galuzin added.
The Kuril Islands dispute has been souring Moscow-Tokyo relations for decades and serves as the main stumbling rock to signing a permanent peace treaty after the end of World War II. Both countries claim a group of four islands, namely Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai.
