Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, delivers a speech at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Photo: AP
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https://scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3025905/vladimir-putin-rebuffs-shinzo-abes-call-sign-peace-treaty-over East Asia
Vladimir Putin rebuffs Shinzo Abe’s call to sign peace treaty over Tokyo’s ties with US military, unresolved territorial issues
- Putin told his Japanese counterpart that Tokyo’s military ties with the US, among other issues, made it hard for Japan and Russia to sign a World War II peace treaty
Japan’s Shinzo Abe and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Photo: AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday told his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe that Tokyo’s military ties with the United States and many other issues made it hard for Japan and Russia to sign a World War II peace treaty.
Putin made the comment at an economic forum in Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East, after Abe called on him to resolve a row between the countries over a disputed chain of islands that has prevented the two countries signing a peace treaty.
“The new relationship of cooperation between Japan and Russia is becoming more apparent thanks to our work,” Abe said in a speech at the forum, as Putin listened. “And beyond that, we have a historical duty to sign a peace treaty. Let’s fulfil our responsibility to history. Let’s sign a peace treaty and set free the unlimited potential of our people.”
While the Russian leader rebuffed Abe’s calls, he said he hoped a peace treaty could be signed in future and that the two countries could eventually resolve their long-running differences.
Japan and Russia are engaged in a row over the sovereignty of four Russian-held islands lying off Hokkaido in northern Japan, which has prevented them from signing a formal peace treaty since the end of the second world war.
Tokyo claims the western Pacific islands, which were seized by Soviet troops in the final days of the war. They are known in Japan as the Northern Territories and as the Southern Kuriles in Russia.
“Unfortunately, sadly for us, there are military, defence issues, security issues. We have to understand … Japan’s commitments to third countries, including the United States,” Putin said.
Moscow has repeatedly raised concerns about US military systems being deployed on Japanese territory.
Moments before Putin’s comments, Abe hailed business ties between Russia and Japan, and said that the natural next step in relations would be to sign a peace treaty, which he said was the “historical mission” of the two countries’ leaders.
“Vladimir, let’s do everything together to move forward all the time until we reach (our) objective,” Abe said.
Putin and Abe have met 27 times in bids to resolve the dispute. The leaders will meet again in November on the fringes of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile, a Russian foreign ministry official said.
PUTIN WOOS ASIAN INVESTORS
Meanwhile, Putin sought to lure Asian investment to Russia’s Far East on Thursday as the launch was announced of a huge Arctic gas project aimed at Asian markets.
Hosting leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Vladivostok, Putin lauded Russia’s Far East as a destination for investment.
The region is full of “hardworking, energetic people”, “industries of the future” and “the richest reserves of natural resources”, Putin said.
“Take advantage of these opportunities,” he told a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum.
Moscow has hosted the forum every year since 2015 as it looks to bolster ties with Asia amid tensions with the West.
Russian gas firm Novatek at the forum announced the launch of a major liquefied natural gas project in the Arctic with Chinese, French and Japanese partners.
Novatek said a final decision had been made on financing the US$21 billion Arctic LNG 2 project with partners including China’s CNPC and CNOOC, France’s Total, and a Japanese consortium of Mitsui & Co and JOGMEC.
Among other announcements at the forum, Modi said New Delhi would offer Moscow a US$1 billion credit line to help develop Russia’s Far East.
“India’s connection to Russia’s Far East go back a long way,” he said at a plenary session. “India was the first country to open a Consulate in Vladivos.
“For the development of Far East, India will give line of credit worth US$1 billion. My government has actively engaged East Asia as part of its ‘Act East’ policy,” Modi said. “I firmly believe that today's announcement will add a new dimension to the economic diplomacy of the two countries.”