I do to!!! Once someone thanked me for using a lot of maps on FC. I was thinking I have to; I don’t know where the hell these places are either. They do help one gain a better perspective.
Thanks,
-Am
Russia slams Kuril Isles inspection
September 2, 2004
Combined reports
Russia's Foreign Ministry criticized Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday over his plan to view on Thursday Russian islands at the center of a decades-old territorial dispute, saying the trip would make it more difficult for the nations to end World War II hostilities formally.
Though, according to Japanese side, the inspection aims to create a favorable atmosphere before Russia's President Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan in February next year, it will only complicate matters on negotiations concerning the peace treaty, the Ministry's official site www.mid.ru stated in a press release on Monday.
Koizumi's trip is motivated by an "internal factor" and will bring about no constructive consequences concerning bilateral relations, the ministry said.
Koizumi plans to look at four islands in the Kuril chain from a ship during a trip on Thursday in an effort to raise awareness of Tokyo's claims they should be returned to Japan, which calls them the Northern Territories.
Japan said Thursday that Koizumi will view the disputed islands for five hours from a Japanese Coast Guard patrol boat, approaching from the eastern Hokkaido city of Nemuro after flying in from an Air Self-Defense Force base in Saitama Prefecture, the Japan Times reported Wednesday.
The newspaper reported the planned trip to view the islands has also been criticized at home as another grandstanding attempt by Koizumi to boost his popularity with the public, instead of an effort to encourage Russia to negotiate.
After the inspection, Koizumi plans to meet with former residents of the southern Kuril Islands, who were deported to Japan in 1945 after Japan's defeat in the World War II, RIA Novosti reported.
The Kuril Islands were previously inspected by former Japanese Prime Ministers Zenko Suzuki in September 1981, and Yoshiro Mori in 2001. Japan claims the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai as a condition for signing the peace treaty with Russia.
And also why Moscow is making moves on Georgia and Azerbaijan
Moscow had everything to Afghanistan in the Soviet era and started oil and gas development in the region. Interesting treaty dates in this map. If China gets control of Kazakhstan and the control of %80 of the shipping lane choke points?
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