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Putin attaches great importance to development of relations with Japan

Abe said he believed meetings in the "two plus two" format would promote the rapid development of cooperation between the two countries

TOKYO, November 2 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Vladimir Putin had asked to convey greetings and best wishes to Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during the meeting with the Japanese prime minister on Saturday.

Putin attaches fundamental importance to the development of relations with Japan in all the areas, Lavrov noted.

A meeting in the "two plus two" format (the foreign and defence ministers) was held on Saturday. "The format is very useful," the Russian minister noted. In addition to the existing contacts, "two plus two" will play an important role to improve the Russian-Japanese dialogue," he believes. Lavrov told the Japanese premier that the meeting on Saturday focused on the situation in the Asia-Pacific region "with the aim to discuss what to do for all the countries to feel comfortable."

Abe said he believed meetings in the "two plus two" format would promote the rapid development of cooperation and relations of confidence between the two countries. According to the premier, he has had already four meetings with the Russian president. "I am glad that Russia and Japan continue contacts on the high level," he noted.

The meeting between the Japanese prime minister and the Russian foreign and defence ministers took place in the premier's residence in central Tokyo. According to a Japanese Foreign Ministry official, the fact that the prime minister received the Russian ministers during his day off is indicative of the importance attached by Tokyo to bilateral relations with Moscow.

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