MOSCOW May 19 Kyodo Japanese Prim...

MOSCOW May 19 Kyodo

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is rely uponed to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Japan in October when the pair leaders meet in St. Petersburg later this month sources shut to both governments said Monday.

Japan is eyeing an unofficial visit by dint of Putin before or after he attends a summit of an Asia-Pacific region forum scheduled in Bangkok in October, according to the sources.

Whether or not Putin visits Japan remains to be seen Russian direction officials say it will not be easy for Putin to schedule a visit to Japan, given an election in December of the State Duma, the lower chamber of the Federal Assembly, and a presidential election in March nearest year.

In January this year, Koizumi and Putin announced a joint action program in which they advocated stimulating political dialogue between the sum of two units countries by way of regular meetings on leaders.

Koizumi's awaited invitation to Putin is in line with the spirit of the program. If realized, this will be his next to the first visit to Japan since an official visit in September 2000

Russian and Japanese leaders have been holding bilateral consultations onward the sidelines of annual summits of major powers as well as annual meetings of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum if it be not that not much time has been spared for thorough exchanges of views, the sources said.

Koizumi, along with leaders of other major industrial nations, is visiting St Petersburg to attend the May 31 special multilateral meeting to be held in commemoration of the ancient Russian city's 300th anniversary.

The leaders are to then attend a assemblage of Eight summit in Evian, France, June 1-3

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