Russia, Japan Discuss Writing Down Mutual Security Guarantees In Peace Treaty - Reports

The Russian and Japanese governments are discussing the option of including a clause on security guarantees in the future peace treaty given Moscow's concerns over the US-Japanese military alliance, local media reported on Tuesday, citing Russian and Japanese diplomatic sources

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2019) The Russian and Japanese governments are discussing the option of including a clause on security guarantees in the future peace treaty given Moscow's concerns over the US-Japanese military alliance, local media reported on Tuesday, citing Russian and Japanese diplomatic sources.

This comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are holding talks in Moscow on Tuesday.

According to the Kyodo news agency, the sides are exploring the possibility of documenting a pledge "not to take hostile measures or actions against one another" within the document.

Russia has repeatedly expressed its concerns over the US military presence in Japan in the context of peace treaty negotiations.

During an annual press conference in December, Putin emphasized that security issues were crucial to the talks on the Russia-Japan peace treaty. The Russian leader underlined that Moscow was extremely concerned with the US military presence in Japan and expressed doubts about the latter's sovereignty in defense matters.

In December, former Russian Ambassador to Japan Alexander Panov told Sputnik that a possible peace treaty with Japan could help Russia alleviate its concerns over the US military presence in Japan, in particular through provisions stipulating that that each side's arrangement with a third party would not be directed against the country with which a peace treaty was concluded.