Moscow accused the United States of the cancellation of the visit of the Japanese Premier to Russia

Official representative of Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said that the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe has abandoned plans to visit Russia under U.S. pressure.

“Pressure and a strong recommendation was. This has limited our contacts and turned the work in the bilateral direction,” — said Zakharov. According to her, previously Japan “said to go and exchange visits are not worth it, did it in a rather hard manner.”

“But recently, the official representative of Washington said that if one contact with the Russian representatives will happen, it’s okay. Thus, given the go-ahead”, — she added.

Zakharova also said that Japan is now a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, but seeks to obtain membership on an ongoing basis. “The question arises: how can a country claim that even bilateral visits with his neighbor to negotiate,” she concluded.

Earlier Japanese media reported that Shinzo Abe may visit Russia in late April or early may to meet with Vladimir Putin. The subject of negotiations edition Nikkei Asian Review called territorial issues between the two countries. First, it was assumed that the meeting can take place in Vladivostok or Khabarovsk, later I began to go about Sochi.

The last meeting between Putin and Abe took place on the sidelines of the session of the UN General Assembly in late September 2015. On its results the policy announced the intention to advance the talks on the conclusion of a peace agreement.

Moscow and Tokyo in 1956 signed a Declaration on ending the war, which may enter into force only after the conclusion of the peace Treaty. The main obstacle to the signing of the Memorandum is unresolved dispute over the Kuril Islands. Japan claims the four Islands, referring to the Treaty of 1855. Russia insists that these territories became part of the USSR at the end of the Second world war.

In addition, the development of bilateral relations hampered by sanctions that Tokyo imposed in stages against Moscow after the annexation of Crimea and situation in southeastern Ukraine intensified in the spring of 2014. In response, Moscow has imposed visa sanctions on a number of Japanese citizens.
[rushincrash.com]
16/4/16
--
-
Related: 

• Japan, Russia agree to plan Abe talks with Putin in Russia( Kyodo) 

• • Shinzo Abe to ignore call from Obama not to visit Russia

• Abe Calls For Summit With Putin To Resolve Islands Dispute

• Russia Announces Military Plans for Contested Kuril Islands

• Peace treaty possible only after Tokyo recognizes WWII results (Russia FM)