Translated material
"This is our land"
Dmitry Medvedev was the first Russian leader to visit the Southern Kuril Islands
Dmitry Medvedev's upcoming trip to Yokohama, Japan at the end of next week for the APEC summit promises to be not only interesting, but also dangerous. The Russian President's visit to the Russian city of Yuzhno-Kurilsk on the Russian island of Kunashir yesterday caused not only a sharp political reaction from official Tokyo, but also protests from ordinary Japanese. Unfortunately, there is no doubt that the residents of the Land of the Rising Sun will try to bring these protests to Mr. Medvedev personally, and the presidential protocol and security services will have to work in an environment close to combat.“The president’s responsibility is to control the development of all regions of Russia, including the most remote ones,” Dmitry Medvedev wrote on his Twitter yesterday. It took the head of state about three and a half hours to “monitor” the development of the Southern Kuril Islands. And it is obvious that this watch will become a bright page in the history of Russian-Japanese relations.
For the first time, Dmitry Medvedev announced his intention to visit the disputed Southern Kuril Islands on September 29 during a visit to the Far East. Then he was hampered by bad weather (by the way, a storm warning was announced in the region for November 2, so the president managed to visit Kunashir just in time). “This is a very important region of our country,” the Russian president said then. “We’ll definitely go there in the near future.” The opportunity presented itself yesterday when the head of state was returning home from Vietnam. The Russian president traveled around Kunashir in a Japanese Nissan Patrol - there are simply no non-Japanese cars there.
Although official Tokyo warned in advance that the Russian president’s trip to the South Kuril Islands would create “serious obstacles” in bilateral relations, during his stay in Kunashir, Mr. Medvedev did not even mention this topic. His trip was devoted to the problems of socio-economic development of the Kuril Islands. The President promised that the same living conditions as in Central Russia will be created here. Moreover, according to Mr. Medvedev, the authorities are even able to correct the extremely difficult demographic situation on the islands: “If there are normal living conditions, people, of course, will go. Some will rest and some will stay.”
The reaction of the Japanese side to the movements of Dmitry Medvedev followed immediately, and from the highest level. “The four northern islands are the territory of our country, and we have consistently taken this position,” said Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, answering a question from one of the deputies at a meeting of the budget commission of the lower house of parliament. “The president’s trip there is extremely regrettable.” “I am clear that territories are the basis of national sovereignty,” Mr. Kahn said. - The areas that the USSR entered after August 15, 1945 are our territories. We have consistently maintained this position and insisted on their return."
“The Japanese government will develop appropriate response measures after receiving all the information about the actions and statements of the Russian president and government in connection with this problem,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said at a press conference in Tokyo. Statements of protest in connection with the Russian President's trip to the South Kuril Islands were made by the leaders of all Japanese political parties represented in parliament. Russian Ambassador to Tokyo Mikhail Bely was summoned for a conversation at the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
The mention of certain “retaliatory measures” sounded like a clear threat. “The reaction of the Japanese side is unacceptable,” said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “This is our land, the Russian president visited Russian lands.” Yesterday the Japanese ambassador was invited to the Foreign Ministry. Japan's attempts to influence the Russian President's choice of travel routes across the country are absolutely unacceptable and incompatible with the good neighborly nature of Russian-Japanese relations that have developed in recent years, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin told Japanese Ambassador to Russia Masaharu Kono.
A Kremlin source said yesterday that Moscow does not intend to consult with anyone about the top official's travel within the country. “Are we supposed to ask the Poles before visiting the Kaliningrad region? - the Kremlin official asked a rhetorical question. “This is simply ridiculous and humiliating for the residents of the Russian Federation.”
Nevertheless, one cannot help but admit that Mr. Medvedev committed a defiant act in relation to the Russian-Japanese negotiations that have been going on for many years. Perhaps the desire to rid neighbors of illusions and continue these negotiations from a realistic position played a role.
Mr. Medvedev, without mentioning the problem of relations with Japan even once during the trip, only emphasized that there could be no discrepancies: Russians should live on this land, and they should live well. He visited the building of the new kindergarten, which should be put into operation in November. The kindergarten is designed for 110 children, and this will fully satisfy the current needs of Yuzhno-Kurilsk. The head of state liked the kindergarten and called the building “one of the most modern buildings.”
The President visited one of the families living on the island. “We are interested in people staying here,” the president assured the apartment owners, promising that Russia will invest money in this region of the country.
Dmitry Medvedev did not miss the opportunity to visit the most important and pleasant enterprise for guests in the region - the South Kuril Fish Processing Plant, where he could not help but be treated to red caviar. “Very tasty caviar, I wonder how long it will take to deliver it to the mainland?” - the president asked. The head of the fish processing plant, Konstantin Korobkov, admitted that there are big problems with delivery related to bureaucracy. The President promised that he would instruct his plenipotentiary representative in the Far Eastern Federal District, Viktor Ishaev, to sort it out.
The head of state inspected the berth complex under construction in the waters of Yuzhnokurilskaya Bay. Having visited a geothermal station on the outskirts of Yuzhno-Kurilsk, the president spoke in favor of the active development of small-scale energy in small settlements. “This is an absolute alternative, and the right one for these places,” Mr. Medvedev said. “Moreover, the cost of electricity generated at such stations is three times lower than at diesel power plants.”
Towards the end, the head of state stopped at the local Primorye grocery store. There was not a single buyer there, and Dmitry Medvedev could calmly study the price tags. “A dozen eggs cost 80 rubles, but the fish is our own,” the president noted, drawing attention to halibut and smelt. “It’s better to take a salty one on the plane,” he said and bought 20 smelt of various types, including several called “Sakhalin nibbler.” “I’m from St. Petersburg, we also have smelt there, but here it’s small, but here it’s big,” said the president, paying at the checkout. The purchase cost the head of state 475 rubles.
Already at the exit from the store, Mr. Medvedev encountered a buyer who complained to him about the shortage of doctors on the islands, as well as about the dilapidated housing stock. “I looked at new houses here, I’m sure this is a good start,” the president answered him.
The Governor of the Sakhalin Region, Alexander Khoroshavin, thanked the President for his support for the region within the framework of the federal target program for the development of the Kuril Islands. 18 billion rubles have been allocated for its implementation.