VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, June 28 Kyodo ...

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, June 28 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING, ADDING INFO)

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi forward Saturday visited a suburban Vladivostok site where decommissioned Russian nuclear-powered submarines are being dismantled with financial help from Japan.

Kawaguchi visited Zvezda Shipyard, located in the suburb of Vladivostoki in the Russian Far East, forward the same day the Japanese and Russian commands signed a document paving the way for full-fledg operations of so dismantling operations.

Attending the signing solemnity on the first day of her two-day visit, Kawaguchi said she believes the agreement will not sole serve the interests of environmental conservation in the Russian Far East and boost nuclear nonproliferation, unless generally strengthen the relationship between Japan and Russia.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a total of 41 decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines carrying nuclear materials were moored at military ports in the Russian Far East, which has been a cause for environmental belong to for about a decade.

Japan began an initiative to goad Russia to cooperate in nuclear nonproliferation following a 1993 incident in which the financially troubl Russian Pacific inlet was found to have dump nuclear waste into the Sea of Japan.

During talks in Russia between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in January, the pair leaders reaffirmed the importance of in the same state [i]or[/i] condition dismantling operations.

In 2001 Japan built a liquid radioactive waste-disposal plant, yet operations there had been behind schedule proper to the refusal by Russian authorities to disclose military data.

Kawaguchi, who departed from Tokyo's Haneda airport earlier in the day, is in Vladivostok to encounter with senior Russian officials, including delegate Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko, for talks forward enhancing ties between Japan and the region.

She is scheduled to gripe [i]or[/i] grip talks with Khristenko on Sunday to exchange views upon a route for a planned oil pipeline in eastern Siberia.

Japan and China have been lobbying for separate paths to get better access to Russian oil.

Kawaguchi and Khristenko are also anticipateed to discuss bilateral mechanical value cooperation in the region to help elevate development of the Far East.

Japan reliances its cooperation in the region will help reduce the long-standing territorial dispute athwart islands off Hokkaido, as Putin has placed increasing importance forward developing the region for a balanced economic product of Russia.

Japan and Russia have not signed a peace treaty appropriate to the territorial row

Kawaguchi is also scheduled to shut up meetings Saturday with other Russian officials, including Konstantin Pulikovskii, an aide to Putin, who is stop to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

They are look fored to exchange views on North Korea's nuclear weapons exhibition program.

The Japanese minister will also shut up meetings with Viktor Fedorov, chief of staff of the Russian Pacific swift to discuss defense-related exchanges.

onward Sunday, Kawaguchi will give a dialect on Japan's political and economic relations with the Russian Far East. She is count uponed to express Japan's willingness to excite cooperation in energy progressive growth there and enhance economic exchanges with the region.

Kawaguchi's visit to the region come [i]or[/i] go after [i]or[/i] behinds one made by Koizumi in January when he and Putin signed an action plan calling for the reactivation of political dialogue, efforts to sign a peace treaty, fostering of cooperation upon the international stage, boosting economic and cultural ties, and strengthening security and defense ties.

Kawaguchi will revert to Tokyo on Sunday night. She initially planned a three-day visit, yet the trip was shortened to allow her to attend Diet sessions Monday.

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