MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. Discussion of a peace document that should lay down the directions for rapid development of ties between Japan and Russia has become impossible amid Tokyo’s unfriendly position, Russian Foreign Ministry Third Asia Department head Nikolay Nozdrev said in an interview for Kyodo, published on the Ministry’s website Friday.
"It is perfectly clear that discussion of such document with a state that assumed a deliberately unfriendly position and allows itself to make direct threats against our country has become impossible," he said.
According to Nozdrev, Japan’s current position is also being projected on building of long-term relations between Moscow and Tokyo. He underscored that Russia previously held negotiations on such document.
"I would like to underscore from the start that Russia was discussing not a peace treaty, but a comprehensive document on peace, friendship and good-neighborliness that would have reflected modern realities, and would have laid down main directions for rapid development of the entire complex of Russian-Japanese ties, including a large-scale expansion of trade and economic cooperation, cooperation in other practical areas, and to cement the intent to bring closer our approaches on key international and regional problems," he concluded.
Previously in March, Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Moscow stops talks on peace document with Tokyo over Japan’s introduction of unilateral restrictions against Russia over the situation in Ukraine. A decision was also made that visa-free trips for Japanese citizens based on 1991 and 1999 agreements are no longer possible. Russia also withdraws from the dialogue with Japan on joint economic activities on Southern Kuril Islands, and blocks the extension of Japan’s status as sectoral dialogue partner of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.