TOKYO, June 10. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with the heads of major international news agencies was held in a business-like atmosphere and helped clarify Moscow’s stance on the talks on a peace treaty with Tokyo, Executive Director at Japan’s Kyodo News Hiroki Sugita told TASS.
During the meeting in St. Petersburg on June 6, Hiroki Sugita asked Putin a question concerning the talks on the peace treaty, given that there have been very optimistic and far-fetched opinions in this regard in Japan. "In his reply, President Putin said that the Japanese-US cooperation on ensuring security arouses Russia’s concerns and influences the process of working out the treaty. He made it clear that in such conditions it is difficult to hope that the talks would be swiftly completed. I believe that the materials published by the Kyodo news agency about this conversation and the president’s remarks will help the Japanese government and people better understand the situation and Russia’s position," the journalist said.
Hiroki Sugita noted that President Putin was very energetic and confident during the meeting. "It seemed to me that he honestly and thoroughly answered our questions. I was impressed that the president did not look at his notes but quickly cited a large amount of necessary information, which he perfectly remembers."
The meeting, held in the Constantine Palace, was well-organized, the journalist said, thanking TASS for having prepared it. "This was a roundtable discussion, and this created a special feeling of unity. All participants of the conversation were given a chance to have a say in a friendly atmosphere on an equal basis," he said.
Putin’s annual meeting with the heads of leading international news agencies, organized by TASS, was held on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum for the sixth time. This year’s meeting was attended by the media executives representing ten news agencies from nine countries - the UK, Germany, Iran, Spain, Italy, China, the US, France and Japan. Russia was represented by TASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov.