"Resolution of the territorial dispute with China became possible because strategic partnership was in place," the minister said.
According to him, "relations with Japan should bear no emotions and no memories of past differences; we should look into the future instead."
"We want to fully settle our relations with Japan," the minister underscored. He added that "a peaceful treaty that would admit that there is a territorial problem to be solved" is necessary.
Lavrov recalled that "a declaration stipulating for two southern islands and border demarcation was ratified in 1956." However, "due to various reasons, the provisions of the declaration were later dismissed," he said.
Lavrov said this country had not lost anything in the resolution of the Russian-Chinese border dispute.
"This was not about surrendering the islands to China. This was rather about resolving a territorial problem for the first time in the history of Russian-Chinese relations," the Russian Foreign Minister said.
