COMMUNIST LEADER: NO NEED IN PEACE TREATY WITH JAPAN

MOSCOW, November 17 (RIA Novosti) - Leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) Gennady Zyuganov denies the necessity of the conclusion of a peace treaty with Japan and condemns the statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who said that he acknowledged the 1956 Soviet-Japanese declaration. "Some press commentaries say that it was Khrushchev's oral statement, however, it was a declaration ratified by the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union, which implied the ceding of two southern islands to Japan. After that, borders would be marked and a peace treaty concluded," the foreign minister said in a TV interview on Sunday.

Being asked if this meant that Russia was ready to cede the islands to Japan, Mr. Lavrov said, "I have not said this. I have said that we acknowledge this declaration as the Soviet Union's successor".

The Communist leader is convinced that Russia and Japan have no territorial problems because the belonging of these islands to Russia is determined not only by historic factors but also our country's victory in World War II with Japan's complete and unconditional surrender. Any references to the 1956 Soviet-Japanese declaration are absolutely inadmissible because they do not contain any obligations of our country to cede the Kurile islands to Japan," reads Gennady Zyuganov's statement.

Commenting on Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov statement on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was always ready to fulfill its obligations, especially, ratified documents.