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Japan to take into account other G7 states’ views on peace treaty talks with Russia

Japanese First Deputy Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki commented on the Kyodo News report that Tokyo decided “to temporarily suspend” talks with Russia over concluding the peace treaty and resolving territorial dispute

© EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON

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TOKYO, May 12. /ITAR-TASS/. Japan does not refuse to hold consultations on working out a peace treaty with Russia, but will set the time of these talks with due consideration of the position of other Group of Seven (G7) leading world powers amid the current crisis in Ukraine, Japanese First Deputy Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki told reportes on Monday.

He commented on the Kyodo News report that Tokyo decided “to temporarily suspend” talks with Russia over concluding the peace treaty and resolving territorial dispute at the level of deputy foreign ministers, because they contradicted the general G7 policy over the current crisis in Ukraine.

“We do not say that we will not hold these consultations,” Saiki said, adding that Japan "will continue dialogue for their resumption with due account of the position of other G7 states.”

The Japanese Foreign Ministry has earlier refused to confirm or deny to ITAR-TASS the report about suspension of talks.

During an official visit in Moscow of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April 2013, the countries reached an agreement to speed up practical talks on drafting a peace treaty between the two countries and hold them at the level of deputy foreign ministers. The fist similar meeting was held in the Russian capital in August 2013. The latest round of talks was held in Tokyo on January 31. Then Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and Japanese counterpart Shinsuke Sugiyama participated in talks.

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