PRESS RELEASE
Putin and Abe To Follow Up Their ‘Highly Successful’ Meeting
May 15, 2016 (EIRNS)—More details of the meeting of President Vladimir Putin in Sochi earlier this month with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reveal an eight-point bilateral economic cooperation roadmap, that the Japanese premier has put on the table. Abe’s eight-point proposal includes building liquefied natural gas plants, as well as ports, airports, hospitals and other infrastructure, mainly in the Russian Far East, Sergei Guneyev wrote in Sputnik today. An observer close to the Abe administration also confirmed to the EIR that the meeting between the two leaders was "highly successful" and portends a period of strongly improving ties, despite Obama’s efforts to undermine the relationship.
In an interview with Radio Sputnik, Prof. Toshihiko Ueno of Japan’s Sophia University said the economic cooperation plan proposed by Japan was bound to have a strong impact on the EU.
"Aside from the economic effect it might have, the [eight-point cooperation roadmap] would definitely have a symbolic meaning and eventually lead to a lifting of the anti-Russian economic sanctions by many European countries which are willing to resume mutually-beneficial economic cooperation with Russia,"
Professor Ueno said.
During the Sochi meeting, Prime Minister Abe invited President Putin to discuss the matter in greater detail in a visit to his native Yamaguchi Prefecture. Putin readily agreed to come, Professor Ueno reported, a visit which is expected to take place this year.
An Interfax report on May 7, citing Japanese Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura, said President Putin has invited Prime Minister Abe to attend the second Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Sept. 2-3, and Abe is expected to attend. The Forum will bring together business and government representatives to discuss the economic potential of Russia’s Far East and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as investment opportunities.
