Visit of Japanese officials, businesspeople to Kurils to be arranged in summer - Putin
MOSCOW. April 27 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and he had reached some agreements regarding joint activities in the South Kuril Islands and a trip of Japanese officials and businesspeople to the islands this coming summer.
"Of course, we also talked about the peace treaty problem, whose settlement should meet Russia's and Japan's strategic interests and should be accepted by the peoples of both countries," Putin told reporters following his talks with Abe on Thursday.
Joint economic activities in the South Kuril Islands, of which Putin said Abe and he had agreed in Tokyo last December, were discussed in this context as well, Putin said.
"We agreed to continue joint work [we] began and compile a list of priority projects shortly. A trip of a group of Japanese officials and businesspeople will be arranged to the South Kurils this summer in order to explore concrete opportunities for cooperation," he said.
Russia will arrange a direct flight to deliver former Japanese residents of the islands so that they will be able to visit the graves of their ancestors, Putin also said.
"We hope that everything will promote the creation of an atmosphere of confidence and mutual understanding between our countries," the president said.