Russian Foreign Ministry unhappy with European Parliament's demand to return northern territories to Japan

MOSCOW, July 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Foreign Ministry considers the European Parliament's demand that Russia return what the Japanese call the "northern territories" to Japan absurd. "The European Parliament seems to be living on another planet," Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Chizhov said. "It has recently adopted a resolution on the Far East saying the islands were 'occupied.'" "It is absurd," he exclaimed.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on security in the Far East, demanding that all territorial disputes in the region be settled, particularly that Russia return the "northern territories" to Japan.

The "northern territories" comprise the islands of the Kuril archipelago: Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and a group of the Habomai islands, which were taken over by the USSR after the end of World War II. Japan set the return of these islands as a condition for signing the peace treaty with Russia.