Medvedev: Russia, Japan have chance to settle territorial dispute

MOSCOW, July 3 (Xinhua) -- President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia and Japan have a chance to settle their territorial dispute if they do not rely on "miracles" but work "in a friendly way," the Itar-Tass news agency reported on Thursday.

"It seems to me the main thing here is, on the one hand, not to wait for any miracles, and, on the other, not to slacken contacts, but to work in a friendly way. In this case, we shall have a chance to come to agreement on this problem," Medvedev told reporters of the Group of Eight (G8) countries ahead of the group's summit on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

"We should move forward and discuss this topic in compliance with the declarations which were made earlier...We must discuss openly the ideas that already exist and ideas that are forming now," he said.

The Russian leader is satisfied with how relations with Japan are developing, saying Japan "is a very big partner both in international affairs and in the economic sphere."

In his opinion, Russia and Japan share common positions on a considerable number of issues, such as the fight against terrorism, drugs and climate change. "This gives us a chance to move forward," Medvedev said, adding that the settlement of the border dispute will further improve economic and cultural links between the two countries.

Territorial disputes between Russia and Japan on four islands in the Pacific Ocean have long dampened bilateral ties and blocked them from sealing a peace treaty after World War II.

The four islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, were taken by Soviet troops at the end of World War II and are currently under Russian control.

Russia has agreed to give up two of them, but Japan insists on taking back all of them.