Flirtations of the Kremlin in the Kuril Islands will cost Russia dearly
Another Kremlin "multi-way" gave an unexpected, but quite expected result. There is an opinion that our authorities are conducting a delicate game with Japan, so that, “catching” it in the Kuril Islands, “pulling” out from under the United States, and creating the axis Berlin - Moscow - Tokyo. Japanese news agency Jiji reported that Tokyo intends to reconsider its approach to negotiations on the so-called “peace treaty” and the Kuril Islands. If you thought that Japan had accepted the impossibility of receiving them, then you are deeply mistaken.
The publication reported that reaching “broad agreement” with President Putin now seems impossible:
What lies behind the wording about the impossibility of achieving this very “broad agreement", and what should it be? The facts are as follows:
1. President Putin last year unexpectedly for many personally returned to the subject of the Kuril Islands, which Japan claims.
2. The Kuril Islands are extremely rich in natural resources, about which we told earlier, and have the most important geopolitical significance.
3. Our “national treasure” Gazprom expressed interest in building an offshore gas pipeline from Sakhalin to Japan.
4. President Putin promised the country new mega-projects, in particular, last year the topic of building the Sakhalin bridge, which even according to the most modest estimates, should cost at least three times as much as the Crimean one, began to be discussed. Soon the Crimean bridge will be completed, and verified general contractors will need a new large-scale construction project. However, the Sakhalin bridge will be economically feasible only with the construction of the second bridge from Hokkaido to Sakhalin. And for this, Japan’s consent and appropriate funding are needed.
5. The 1956 Declaration, which explicitly provides for the possibility of transferring Shikotan and the group of Habomai islands, was taken as the basis for the settlement of relations with Japan. It is quite curious why the lawyers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation are not able to draw up an agreement on good-neighborly relations with Japan from scratch, where there will be no such norm that gives cause for worry.
6. Japanese Prime Minister Abe noted a number of resonant statements in which, in particular, he allowed the Russian inhabitants of the Kuril Islands (for now) to remain on the islands.
7.The head of the Foreign Ministry of the Land of the Rising Sun Kono demanded military compensation from Russia for the Kuril Islands, which the USSR received as a military prize following the results of the Second World War, about which we also already told.
These are the facts that can make any sane person think about what the Kurils decided to give in the Kremlin. We did not attend these backstage talks, but we can afford some assumptions.
The transfer of the islands by the current authorities to the Japanese rests on the categorical disagreement of the absolute majority of the Russian people. The position can be formulated as follows: they did not take the Kuril Islands, and it was not for them to give. And quite rightly point out that after the Russian Federation territorial claims may already be filed in Kaliningrad. After all, if for the sake of a peace treaty with Japan you can give up the Kuril Islands, then friendship with Germany is even more important to us, we are building the Nord Stream-2 with them, right? In a word, there will be plenty of space for demagogy.
It can be assumed (perhaps erroneously) that the Kremlin would have been quite satisfied with the following formula for resolving a “territorial dispute”: legally, the Kuril Islands remain Russian and de facto Japanese. Within the framework of “joint economic use”, certain development corporations, etc., can be created, where domestic highly paid top managers will sit as leaders, and the “economic activity” itself will be the extraction and export of natural resources in favor of Japan. Well, what else could it be, tell me please?
That is why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation with an anguish requires Tokyo to recognize Russian sovereignty on the islands. But everything rested on the integrity of the Japanese themselves. They require not only the actual, but also the legal transfer of the islands. However, the Kremlin can not do without serious image losses on this issue, because the situation has hung. Some already marked ARTICLESin which they are trying to prepare Russian public opinion accordingly for transmission. I would like to point out one eloquent commentary on the recent article on the "Reporter" dedicated to the Kuril Islands. A certain "resident of the Far East", "lawyer", "historian" and "teacher of three universities" defends "historical justice" as follows:
A rather original point of view and argumentation, it is not surprising that other readers considered the commentator a “troll”. On the rights of humor, we can say that this is a variation on the theme "daughter of the Crimean officer." True, most likely, such comments are paid from our taxes.
What do we have at the moment? Flirting with Tokyo on the possibility of transferring the Kuril Islands in order to resolve some financial issues rested on public opinion. This was realized not only in our country, but also in Japan. However, instead of accepting it, Tokyo will only “change its approach”. Igor Tavrovsky, professor at RUDN University, believes that now Japan will abandon the previously proposed “economic package”, and will also begin to take a tougher approach to the implementation of anti-Russian sanctions, which previously belonged later.
Here is such a disappointing result of the geopolitical "multi-path" is obtained. At the same time, Tokyo is obviously increasing the military capabilities of its fleet, about which we told earlier. What is it for?
The publication reported that reaching “broad agreement” with President Putin now seems impossible:
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has begun revising the strategy for negotiations with Russia to resolve the territorial conflict and conclude a bilateral peace treaty following the Second World War.
What lies behind the wording about the impossibility of achieving this very “broad agreement", and what should it be? The facts are as follows:
1. President Putin last year unexpectedly for many personally returned to the subject of the Kuril Islands, which Japan claims.
2. The Kuril Islands are extremely rich in natural resources, about which we told earlier, and have the most important geopolitical significance.
3. Our “national treasure” Gazprom expressed interest in building an offshore gas pipeline from Sakhalin to Japan.
4. President Putin promised the country new mega-projects, in particular, last year the topic of building the Sakhalin bridge, which even according to the most modest estimates, should cost at least three times as much as the Crimean one, began to be discussed. Soon the Crimean bridge will be completed, and verified general contractors will need a new large-scale construction project. However, the Sakhalin bridge will be economically feasible only with the construction of the second bridge from Hokkaido to Sakhalin. And for this, Japan’s consent and appropriate funding are needed.
5. The 1956 Declaration, which explicitly provides for the possibility of transferring Shikotan and the group of Habomai islands, was taken as the basis for the settlement of relations with Japan. It is quite curious why the lawyers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation are not able to draw up an agreement on good-neighborly relations with Japan from scratch, where there will be no such norm that gives cause for worry.
6. Japanese Prime Minister Abe noted a number of resonant statements in which, in particular, he allowed the Russian inhabitants of the Kuril Islands (for now) to remain on the islands.
7.The head of the Foreign Ministry of the Land of the Rising Sun Kono demanded military compensation from Russia for the Kuril Islands, which the USSR received as a military prize following the results of the Second World War, about which we also already told.
These are the facts that can make any sane person think about what the Kurils decided to give in the Kremlin. We did not attend these backstage talks, but we can afford some assumptions.
The transfer of the islands by the current authorities to the Japanese rests on the categorical disagreement of the absolute majority of the Russian people. The position can be formulated as follows: they did not take the Kuril Islands, and it was not for them to give. And quite rightly point out that after the Russian Federation territorial claims may already be filed in Kaliningrad. After all, if for the sake of a peace treaty with Japan you can give up the Kuril Islands, then friendship with Germany is even more important to us, we are building the Nord Stream-2 with them, right? In a word, there will be plenty of space for demagogy.
It can be assumed (perhaps erroneously) that the Kremlin would have been quite satisfied with the following formula for resolving a “territorial dispute”: legally, the Kuril Islands remain Russian and de facto Japanese. Within the framework of “joint economic use”, certain development corporations, etc., can be created, where domestic highly paid top managers will sit as leaders, and the “economic activity” itself will be the extraction and export of natural resources in favor of Japan. Well, what else could it be, tell me please?
That is why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation with an anguish requires Tokyo to recognize Russian sovereignty on the islands. But everything rested on the integrity of the Japanese themselves. They require not only the actual, but also the legal transfer of the islands. However, the Kremlin can not do without serious image losses on this issue, because the situation has hung. Some already marked ARTICLESin which they are trying to prepare Russian public opinion accordingly for transmission. I would like to point out one eloquent commentary on the recent article on the "Reporter" dedicated to the Kuril Islands. A certain "resident of the Far East", "lawyer", "historian" and "teacher of three universities" defends "historical justice" as follows:
We live in the 21st century, in a young developing country. It is necessary to change yourself and your attitude to issues that (yes, yes) are not pleasant to the "taste". I, a 29-year-old resident of the Far Eastern Federal District, a teacher of history and social science, a senior teacher of three universities - FOR transferring these islands. My point of view is not philistine. Therefore, this is my conscious FOR. I did not live, and I will not live better from this decision. But, from the realization of the moment of restoration of historical justice, I will receive moral pleasure.
A rather original point of view and argumentation, it is not surprising that other readers considered the commentator a “troll”. On the rights of humor, we can say that this is a variation on the theme "daughter of the Crimean officer." True, most likely, such comments are paid from our taxes.
What do we have at the moment? Flirting with Tokyo on the possibility of transferring the Kuril Islands in order to resolve some financial issues rested on public opinion. This was realized not only in our country, but also in Japan. However, instead of accepting it, Tokyo will only “change its approach”. Igor Tavrovsky, professor at RUDN University, believes that now Japan will abandon the previously proposed “economic package”, and will also begin to take a tougher approach to the implementation of anti-Russian sanctions, which previously belonged later.
Here is such a disappointing result of the geopolitical "multi-path" is obtained. At the same time, Tokyo is obviously increasing the military capabilities of its fleet, about which we told earlier. What is it for?
Information