Author: Georgy Toloraya, Russian Academy of Science

The old row on the four islands — an eternal irritant in Russian-Japanese relations — broke out rather unexpectedly last November with President Dmitry Medvedev’s spontaneous visit to one of the Islands.

It should be noted that although Russia, in accordance with the 1956 Declaration, agreed in principle to secede to Japan two of the four islands, lost to the USSR as a result of the Second World War, the island the President landed on, Kunashir, was not among them, and is indisputably considered by Russia to be its own territory. Read more…

Author: Georgy Toloraya, CSCAP, Russia

The Asia Pacific is a global region of primary significance. It is imperative that Russia grasps this fact, and lays out a comprehensive vision for its role in the region.  If Russia can do this, it can greatly advance the cause of developing effective arrangements in the region.

What are the key elements of the economic, political and security situation in the Asia-Pacific region? Read more…

Author: Georgy Toloraya, Russian Academy of Science

Reacting to the US Nuclear Posture Review publication, in mid-April 2010 Pyongyang officially confirmed its own position on nuclear weapons: ‘As long as the US nuclear threat persists, the DPRK will increase and update various type nuclear weapons as its deterrent in such a manner as it deems necessary in the days ahead.’ Along with others, Russia has to seriously question the viability of the two decades-old efforts for denuclearisation of the neighbouring country, with special accent on the relevance to the existing diplomatic framework. What is the purpose of the Six-Party Talks and what are Russia’s goals in this exercise?

At present, the basic underlying approach for Russia is the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. The Six-Party Talks are the most efficient way to accomplish that goal, and is the crux of Russia’s agenda. Read more…