Russia-Japan strategic dialogue resumes after 3-year pause
MOSCOW. Oct 13 (Interfax) - Russia and Japan resumed their strategic dialogue at the level of first deputy foreign ministers in Moscow on Thursday after a three-year pause.
"We are resuming our strategic dialogue after a break, in the context of the forthcoming important bilateral events. These events are of paramount significance and we attach great importance to them," Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov said.
His Japanese counterpart at the meeting is Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Shinsuke Sugiyama.
The interlocutors shook hands before the meeting started.
Japanese Ambassador in Moscow Toyohisa Kozuki said earlier that Tokyo deemed that dialogue to be very important.
The sides will confer on a broad range of international and bilateral issues, including a peace treaty between Russia and Japan.
Russia and Japan started up the strategic dialogue format in January 2007. Meetings in that format used to be held once or twice a year. The dialogue was paused after the 11th meeting in February 2013.