Russian FM Reveals Details of Talks Between Putin, Japan's PM Abe

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov revealed details of the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Russian resort city of Sochi.

BOCHAROV RUCHEI (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have agreed to develop bilateral relations in all sectors, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

"Today the leaders were able to review in detail how it [joint 2013 statement on developing of Moscow-Tokyo partnership] is being implemented in all directions and sectors – political, trade and economical, investment, and humanitarian. The talks showed both the Russian president’s and Japanese prime minister’s aim to build up relations in aforementioned spheres," Lavrov said.

Russia and Japan have agreed to cooperate on major investment projects.

"It is clear that trade turnover had and still has a downward trend for various reasons. The two leaders stressed their aim to look for ways to remedy this situation. And not only through development of trade relations, but also through implementation of major investment projects," Lavrov told at a briefing.

According to the top Russian diplomat, Moscow and Tokyo proposed several ideas mainly through the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation with the involvement of the business community, and have ordered for them to be developed.

The issue of lifting sanctions against Russia was not discussed at Friday's meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"No, the sanctions issue was not discussed," Lavrov told reporters.

Russia-Japan talks on the peace treaty issue will be held between the countries' deputy foreign ministers in June, Lavrov said.

"This issue was discussed. Steps that are being taken by the two foreign ministries on this matter, in accordance with earlier instructions by the [Russian] president and the [Japanese] prime minister were welcomed. Another round of talks on the peace treaty issue will be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers in June."

Putin and Abe agreed Friday to possibly resume bilateral meetings of foreign and defense ministers, Russian chief diplomat Sergei Lavrov said.

"We reminded about the existence of a 2+2 format for Russian and Japanese foreign and defense ministers. The usefulness of this structure was acknowledged and it was agreed to revive it in addition to a boost to the existing mechanisms," Lavrov said.

Putin also invited the Japanese prime minister to the Eastern Economic Forum set to be held in Russia's Vladivostok in September

Moscow supported the idea of including Tokyo into the humanitarian cooperation in the framework of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"We talked about Syria. Russia has supported including Japan into the task force for humanitarian affairs, which was established within the International Syria Support Group. We believe that this is a very beneficial channel for our cooperation, " Lavrov said after the talks in Sochi.