Chairman of the International Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky:
“Another Japanese protest over the visit of the Russian Prime Minister to the Kuril Islands is a counterproductive and absolutely senseless step. The head of government visited the territory of the Russian Federation. The topic of the Kuril Islands is closed, its discussion is unacceptable and directly contradicts the Constitution of the Russian Federation in the new edition. Russian sovereignty over the Kuril Islands is beyond doubt, and this position has been repeatedly communicated to the Japanese partners.
Instead of putting forward useless territorial claims, Tokyo should finally think about progress in signing a peace treaty. Its absence does not correspond to the level of Russian-Japanese relations.
In addition, the agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and ex-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the joint development of four Kuril Islands remains topical. Concrete development measures in this direction would also help to relieve tension.”
