Russian President, Japanese PM Set First Meeting in JulyThe first personal meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and new Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is scheduled for July in the Italian city of Genoa, as part of the G-8 summit, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said Tuesday.Losyukov told journalists here that the foreign ministers of the two countries, Igor Ivanov and Makiko Tanaka, will probably meet in Genoa for the first time, too. Commenting on the gap that has emerged in the Russian-Japanese dialogue at top and high levels after the change of the Japanese government, Losyukov said that the Japanese government is now concentrating on its internal affairs and the Russian-Japanese ties on the whole "remain intensive." As an example, he cited the forum "Russian-Japanese Relations in Asia and the Pacific in the Conditions of Globalization," which opened in Moscow on Tuesday with noted political and public figures, scientists and businessmen taking part. Losyukov said a delegation of Japanese businessmen will visit Moscow in early June. He described both of these events as "very important" in expanding bilateral relations. |
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