EVENT

Tokyo is unshakable: the South Kurils belong to Japan

The South Kuril Islands belong to Japan in terms of international law, and neither the visits of Russian officials nor the accumulation of Russia’s military presence on the islands will change Tokyo’s position, stated the head of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seiji Maehara. “Our decision is unshakable,” said Maehara at a press conference before visiting Moscow. Before that, the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev ordered to place additional armament on the Kuril Islands, which would be “adequate” for their defense. The Secretary General of the Japanese Cabinet of Ministers Yukio Edano stated in response that Japan “intently watches” the increase of Russian armament in the region. Also, Japan is demanding that Russia gives back Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the islands of Minor Kuril ridge. Moscow, in turn, stated that Russian sovereignty concerning the Kurils is not subject to reconsideration. Moscow insists that the islands belong to Russia based on the fact that according to the results of World War II they joined the USSR, the successor to which was the Russian Federation. Relations between Moscow and Tokyo became strained after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the Kunashir Island in November last year.

Ukraine and Russia take respite in ex-Soviet property dispute

Ukraine and Russia have suspended talks on disputed ex-Soviet property abroad, said Ukraine’s ambassador to Russia Volodymyr Yelchenko. “Talks on property were recently stopped, simply because both parties reached their extreme positions and, not having found a common language, we have concluded for ourselves (and I think the Russian party has come to similar conclusions) that we need to take a respite and think about what to do next with this issue,” said Yelchenko. He noted that some disputed points are no longer relevant, e.g., some ex-Soviet properties in Africa, which Russia was ready to transfer to Ukrainian ownership. According to Yelchenko, both countries need to review the bilateral agreements governing the activity of their diplomatic missions, which will make their work more efficient. “We will return to this theme after we see the parties work out new approaches,” said the diplomat. On May 18, 2010, the administrator of the Russian presidential office Vladimir Kozhin expressed hopes that Ukraine would agree to transfer all ex-Soviet property abroad to Russia. On May 25, 2010, President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych said that Ukraine did not recognize Russian claims on the entire ex-Soviet property abroad.

Ivasiuk monument to be erected

Musician and leader of the band Okean Elzy Sviatoslav Vakarchuk will spend about 200,000 hryvnias on a monument to Volodymyr Ivasiuk, to be erected as soon as this year in Lviv. At the same time, 400,000 hryvnias are to be provided out of the municipal budget for the gentrification of the adjacent area, reports zaxid.net, citing Lviv’s deputy mayor Vasyl Kosiv. “We have agreed that Vakarchuk would pay for the erection of the bronze monument, and the city would finance the gentrification of the adjacent area. Last year, we were developing estimations and project documentation for the area. The quote for the monument will be provided by its authors,” said Kosiv. The authors of the Volodymyr Ivasiuk monument are architect Mykhailo Yagolnyk and sculptor Serhii Oleshko (he created the monuments commemorating painter Ivan Trush, Good Soldier Svejk, and the Lemko painter Nykyfor Drovniak). It is expected that the monument will stand 2.6 meters tall, on a small pedestal.