TOKYO, November 2 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow and Tokyo have agreed to begin a dialogue on the new nonaligned security architecture formation in the Asia-Pacific region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lvov said on Saturday after the "two plus two" format talks (the Russian and Japanese foreign and defence ministers).
"Following the directions of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe, we have had a meeting in the "two plus two" format today for the first time," Lavrov said. "It reflects the intention of both countries to strengthen cooperation on the international arena with the aim to work out such approaches to security problems that would take our countries' interests into consideration." Meetings in such a format are useful, he noted. "We have invited our Japanese colleagues to the "two plus two" meeting in Moscow next year, the minister said.
In the focus of the talks on Saturday were Asia-Pacific regional issues. The region becomes more and more important in the world's economy and policy. The situation in the region is stable, but there is a rather serious conflict potential, Lavrov noted. Among the problems are the situation on the Korean Peninsula, territorial disputes, terrorism, drug traffic, piracy and disasters, he said.
"We have come to the common view that close cooperation between our countries on regional problems meets Russia's and Japan's interests," the minister said. "We have agreed to promote close cooperation in multilateral structures of the AP region, including the APEC, the regional ASEAN security forum and East Asia summits. We have agreed to begin a dialogue on the formation of new nonaligned security architecture that will allow taking interests of all the countries into consideration on the basis of the principle of equal and indivisible security."
A decision was taken at East Asia summits this year to begin such a dialogue on the level of experts. A meeting in such a format will be held in Brunei this month, Lavrov noted. "We appreciate the Japanese colleagues' intention to actively participate," he added.
Moscow believes Tokyo's participation in multilateral discussions about the construction of an equal system of security in the region is within the policy of "active pacifism" declared by Shinzo Abe's government. "We note Japan's intention to play a weightier role in the world policy to prevent conflict situations and provide humanitarian aid." Moscow has heard and appreciates the Japanese colleagues' statements that the active pacifism policy will be implemented within the adherence to the peaceful policy laid down in the legislation, the Russian minister noted.