Moscow does not take into account Tokyo's stance regarding trips of Russian officials to Kuril Islands - source

Russian officials will continue to go to the Kuril Islands despite Japan's stance on this regard, a Russian Foreign Ministry source told Interfax.

According to the source, "the Russian authorities pay more attention to the tasks of comprehensive social and economic development of this Russian region and trips of officials will continue."

"We do not take into account Tokyo's stance on this regard and we do not intend to do so in future," the source said.

According to the source, "Japan has been advised not to transmit to us in future such 'concerns', which escalate unwanted emotions in the bilateral relations."

At that, the Russian Foreign Ministry has not received any note of protest over the intention of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to go to the Kuril Islands, the source said. "There just was an oral demarche on the telephone made by an employee of the Japanese embassy in Moscow to the 3rd department for Asia of the Russian Foreign Ministry," the source said.

It has been reported that Medvedev announced his plans to go to the Kuril Islands.

Meanwhile, the Japanese embassy in Moscow said that the intention of Medvedev hurts the soul of the Japanese people and is unacceptable.

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