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Russia will not consult Japan on leaders’ trips to Kuril Islands
Published: 29 October, 2010, 15:57
Russia will not negotiate its president’s visits to the disputed Southern Kuril Islands with Japan, a Kremlin official has stressed.
I wonder Russian people don't feel ashamed themselves about their government act like a thief? Japan and Soviet troops had concluded a nonaggression treaty at the time of WW2 but after Japan got nuclear bomb and surrendered, suddenly Soviet troops came to invade kuril islands. What other words are more appropriate than “thief” ? The act what Russian government doing breaks the peace of this world. It is the time to consider the Justice to make the world more better.
Tod, You really need to read a (honest) history book . The Japanese launched war against Tsarist Russia in 1904 to grab territory, a continuation of the Imperial Japanese push into China and ongoing domination of Korea. Russia lost badly, and was forced to yield its access to Port Arthur, and lost the southern half of Sakhalin Island. The point here is that the Japanese unilaterally abrogated the Treaty of Saint Peterberg 1875, where Tsarist Russia recognised Japanese soverignty over the Kurils (and withdrew its colonies) in exchange for Japanese recognition of Russia rights over Sakhalin. Japanese agression negated the treaty, and it took 40 years before the Soviets could reassert their claims. The morale of this story is that if your commit agression against your neighbours, and then lose, the loss of territory is a real possibility. Germany has permanently lost sovereignty over her traditional eastern baltic territories, and you don't hear Angela Merkel whining constantly and demanding the return of Danzig (now Gdansk) and Pomeranian in Western Poland...
It looks Kuril Islands are just becoming due challenges demanding RF to define its multi-polar structure. Briefly - missing is Reykjavik on the Far East side. In this regard Medvedev’s visit announced the engagement of Russia and Japan as de facto achieved. This is god news because the schedule does not procrastinate. Geopolitically Japan – China – Koreas and Russia form the political plexus of multi-polar body. Japan was never offered higher significance. Very deservedly!