Outline of Japan-Russian Federation Foreign Ministers Meeting
on the Occasion of the United Nations General Assembly Meeting

15 September 2000
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

From 10:50 (Eastern Standard Time - 23:50 Japan Standard Time) on 14 September for approximately 50 minutes, Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Sergeyevich Ivanov, on the occasion of their attendance at the United Nations General Assembly. The outline of their meeting is as follows:

1. Appraisal of President Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan

1. Foreign Minister Kono made the following statements:

Foreign Minister Kono noted that the recent visit to Japan by President Putin had been a success in that it had deepened friendly relations and bonds between the two leaders and that a wide-range of documents had been prepared. However, it was noted that the issue of negotiations on a peace treaty remained. Foreign Minister Kono added that the most important issue was how to realize the Krasnoyarsk Agreement and that the two Foreign Ministers would make their utmost efforts to achieve this aim and the results should be communicated fully to the people of both countries.

2. Statements by Foreign Minister Ivanov in response to the above:

Foreign Minister Ivanov noted that the Russian side had been satisfied with the content and atmosphere of President Putin's visit to Japan and added that it was the sincere hope of the Russian side that both countries could solve the various issues facing them and open a perspective for future development of their bilateral relations. He also expressed the desire to convene a subcommittee on border demarcation (vice-ministerial level talks) in Tokyo during mid-October. Foreign Minister Ivanov also repeated his request that Foreign Minister Kono pay a visit to Russia and suggested that a Japan-Russia summit meeting could take place again on the occasion of the 8th Informal APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Brunei Darussalam. (It was agreed that the dates for these dialogues would be coordinated through diplomatic channels.)

2. Reform of the United Nations

Foreign Minister Kono declared that he had been encouraged by the fact that on the occasion of the United Nations Millennium Summit, of the countries which made speeches, over half, or approximately one hundred nations, had called for the necessity of reform of the Security Council. As the Japan side had mentioned to the Russian side in Tokyo, Foreign Minister Kono stated that Japan would make every effort, with the cooperation of Russia, to realize reform of the United Nations. (Foreign Minister Ivanov nodded in the affirmative while listening to these statements.)

3. Leaks of secret documents by a Maritime Self-Defense Force official

Statements by Foreign Minister Kono: Foreign Minister Kono stated his deep regret that the investigating authorities in Japan had established that a military attache of the Russian Embassy in Japan had acted in an inappropriate manner in his capacity as a diplomat, adding that this incident was one that should never be repeated. He noted that it was even more regrettable that such an incident had occurred so soon after President Putin's visit to Japan.
Foreign Minister Ivanov stated that this issue should not have a negative effect on the friendly relations between the two countries.

(At the beginning of the meeting, Foreign Minister Kono expressed his gratitude for the kind offer of support direct from President Putin with regard to the widespread flooding that had occurred due to heavy rains in the Tokai region of Japan. The offer of support has already been respectfully declined by the Japanese side.)

(END)

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