Russia Denies Reports on Handing Islands to Japan 　　Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin on Wednesday denied as "groundless" Japanese newspaper reports on a possible interim agreement on handing two South Kuril islands to Japan. 　　Karasin, who is in charge of drafting a peace treaty with Japan, said such reports "are aimed at disrupting public opinion," Interfax reported. 　　 WorldNews 1999-01-07 Page6