Putin suggests resuming contacts with Japan through military and in 'two plus two' format - Lavrov
NAGATO. Dec 15 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resume contacts through the military and in the 'two plus two' format.
"It was approved today that the other mechanisms of our bilateral dialogue, which were frozen in the past few years, should be restored, namely, contacts between the militaries and in the 'two plus two' format, the foreign ministers and defense ministers," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said following negotiations between Putin and Abe.
Several meetings were held in this format, but it was later suspended, he said. "Today, President Putin has suggested resuming it, as well as the meetings between the heads of the general staffs. The prime minister has reacted positively; I hope such a decision will be made at some moment," Lavrov said.
Speaking about the resumption of cooperation between Russia and Japan, the minister said that "such a format as dialogue on strategic issues at the level of first deputy foreign ministers has resumed for the first time in four years, a whole series of consultations between foreign policy agencies took place, contacts between the secretaries of the Security Councils of Russia and Japan."
"It was established today that other mechanisms of our bilateral dialogue, which were frozen in the past few years, should also be restored," Lavrov said.