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Russia to Examine Sakhalin-Hokkaido Bridge Investment Volumes – Trutnev

VLADIVOSTOK (Russia) (Sputnik) – Russia is going to prove cost-effectiveness of construction of a bridge between the Russian island of Sakhalin and the Japanese island of Hokkaido, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev told reporters on Thursday adding that the work on the issue would be difficult.
Sputnik

“Now we have different assessments of the cargo base. We will try to equalize the evaluations. It is difficult to forecast cost recovery of a big investment project. A difficult process is underway,” Trutnev said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

The official pointed out that he did not share the opinion that the construction of the bridge would not recover the costs.

Problem of Signing Russia-Japan Peace Treaty
Trutnev also noted that the recent Russian initiative on the peace agreement with Japan was based on the will to develop good neighborhood relations, not on economic calculations.

“The peace creates the foundation in relations … That is not a matter of exchange … We are not assessing the economic effect here,” the deputy prime minister added.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed signing a peace treaty between Russia and Japan by the end of the year without any preconditions.

READ MORE: Japanese Lawmaker Reveals What Will Help to Resolve Kurils Issue

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The Japanese Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that it was not ready to comment on the offer, but noted that Tokyo's position on the issue remained unchanged.

The main issue so far preventing the parties from signing the treaty is a disagreement concerning a group of four islands that both countries claim — Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai, collectively referred to as the Southern Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan.

READ MORE: Japanese Politician Advocates Building Sakhalin-Hokkaido Oil, Gas Pipeline

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