Russian senator Ozerov urges Japan to be realistic in its relationship with Russia
MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax) - Moscow is ready to collaborate with Tokyo, including on the peace treaty issue and joint economic activity on the Kuril Islands, yet it wants its Japanese partners to be realistic, Russian Federation Council Defense and Security Committee Chairman Viktor Ozerov said.
"As our president has said, we are ready to expand cooperation and joint economic activity [in the Kuril Islands], without limiting our relations to humanitarian affairs. However, we should remember the current reality," Ozerov said at a meeting on Friday with Kimio Waki, President of the League of Residents of Chishima and Habomai Islands.
"Of course, we are ready to discuss any issue on this basis, starting with the peace treaty. It is bad there is no peace treaty between our countries, as it would certainly give an impetus to further relations in all spheres, including interaction regarding the Kuril Islands," he said.
Russia believes it does not have a territorial problem with Japan, Ozerov said. "Whenever we speak about the territorial problem, this problem exists for your country today. Our country has no territorial problem, as these are our lands. Whenever we speak with one another, we should remember today's objective realities," the parliamentarian said.
For his part, Waki said that the League of Residents of Chishima and Habomai Islands comprised former residents of Iturup, Shikotan, Kunashir and Habomai.
"Back in 1945, when the four northern islands were occupied by the Soviet army, half of their former residents risked their lives and evacuated to Hokkaido. The rest were first deported to Sakhalin and then transferred to Hokkaido. My family was among those people," Waki said.
The former islanders were barred from freely visiting their birth place, he said, adding that they were homesick. They are hoping that a peace treaty will be concluded and "the territorial problem with Russia will be resolved," he said.
"Russia did not occupy any Japanese lands; it acted in strict compliance with the decision made at the Yalta Conference," Ozerov said.
"Do agree that the Soviet Union did not force Japan to enter WWII on Germany's side," he said.