Moscow: There will be no referendum in Russia on accession of Kuril Islands to Japan
There will be no referendums or polls in the Kuril Islands about incorporating the islands into Japan, member of the Duma Committee on International Affairs Anton Morozov told RIA Novosti.
Earlier, in an interview with the Asahi TV channel, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that Japan intends to incorporate the Southern Kuril Islands. However, Japan's position on the territorial dispute with Russia does not imply the eviction of Russians living there.
“The Russian Federation has a very clear position on the issue of the Kuril Islands. This territorial dispute is not considered. We offered the Japanese side to conclude a peace treaty without any conditions. If they do not accept our offer, then it is their choice. But nobody is going to conduct any referendums or polls in the Kuril Islands,” Morozov told RIA Novosti.
Abe is going to visit Russia this month, approximately on January 21. The previous meeting of the Japanese Prime Minister and the President of Russia took place on November 14 in Singapore. Following the meeting, the Japanese prime minister said that the parties agreed to speed up the negotiation process on a peace treaty based on the Soviet-Japanese Declaration of 1956.
The above-mentioned declaration acknowledged the willingness of both sides to conclude a peace treaty, after which the USSR agreed to transfer the islands of Habomai and Shikotan to Japan. The document was ratified by both sides. However, Japan refused to implement it and insisted on the return of four islands, Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan and Habomai, as a condition for concluding the peace treaty.