"I have to note that we are still at the very beginning of the negotiating process and our approaches still diverge significantly", Morgulov said, adding that the two states should continue the dialogue as had been agreed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
READ MORE: Kremlin Rules Out Kurils Transfer to Japan, Says Experts Working on Peace Treaty
Mori, for his part, reiterated Tokyo's interest in developing a partnership with Moscow and signing a peace treaty.
"A true partnership that would contribute to the stability and prosperity of the Pacific Rim corresponds to the strategic interests of Tokyo and Moscow. [This partnership] requires the resolution of difficult issues and signing of a peace treaty… In order to achieve progress in negotiations, I intend to work actively with you as a negotiator", Mori stated.
Russian-Japanese consultations on a peace treaty are being held in Moscow on Thursday at the level of deputy foreign ministers.
The ministers also held talks later in February, where Lavrov reiterated there is no alternative to the recognition of Russian sovereignty over the Kuril Islands by Tokyo.
READ MORE: Japanese-Russian Peace Treaty Should Not Be Left for Next Generation — Abe
Relations between Moscow and Tokyo have long been strained by the fact that the two nations never signed a peace treaty following the end of World War II. The agreement was never reached due to a heated dispute over a group of islands — Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai — that Russia has sovereignty over. They are also claimed by Tokyo.
