Foreign Minister Ivanov: Today we had a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, as well as talks with Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi. The focus of this meeting and the talks was on the preparations for the official visit to be paid by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Russia in mid-January, next year. Both sides are very seriously getting ready for this visit. In particular, work is practically completed on the so-called Plan of Action, which must encompass the two countries' cooperation in various fields. It is coordination on the international scene and the political dialogue and economic projects and cooperation in other fields -- culture, science -- and continued negotiations on a peace treaty. This is a unique document, work on which, I stress once again, is practically over. We believe that its endorsement at the highest level in the course of the talks in Moscow should impart additional dynamism to bilateral cooperation and fix the areas in which we give priority to such cooperation.

We also exchanged views on certain pressing international problems: first and foremost, the situation around Iraq, the situation in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula.

The talks passed in a very constructive, I would say, benevolent atmosphere. And we count on the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to constitute an important landmark in our bilateral relations.

Question: Did you manage to agree on the political part of the Plan of Action?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: Once again I want to say that the Plan of Action is practically ready, with only small questions remaining of rather a stylistic and technical nature. On all the basic provisions of the document agreement has been reached.

Question: It may be presumed that the Japanese side was interested in North Korea and perhaps urged Russia to lean on the DPRK, to use its influence to make Pyongyang shut down its nuclear and missile programs.

Foreign Minister Ivanov: This topic was discussed. The position of Russia is well known. We are for the nuclear-free status of the Korean Peninsula and for expanding the dialogue among all the concerned parties, primarily, of course, between North and South, in order to resolve all the issues and concerns, including those linked to the missile and nuclear programs.

We consider that a policy of ultimatums and sanctions is hardly the best way to resolve this situation. Russia has been making vigorous efforts to find the necessary solution because the current dynamics might lead this problem to impasse and complicate the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula further still. We presume that nobody should be interested in this. At least in Japan we sensed there is no such interest. And this is only natural. Indeed, the Japanese side addressed an appeal to Russia to exert its influence in order to try by joint efforts to find a way out of this situation and again set the dialogue on a constructive footing.

Question: Igor Sergeyevich, the United States has taken a decision to start deploying a missile defense in the near future. What is the position of Russia on this?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: The position of Russia is well known. We stated it as the United States unilaterally withdrew from the ABM Treaty. We consider that plans of this kind should not prejudice the security interests of Russia or anybody else. And should not spawn a further arms race. In two days I will be in Washington and, naturally, the US Secretary of State and I will discuss this topic.

Question: If possible, please touch upon the plans of Japan in the field of missile defense. Japan is expressing ever more active readiness to participate in the deployment of a regional missile defense system.

Foreign Minister Ivanov: We hold that creating a theater missile defense on a bloc basis can arouse the concern of other states which will find themselves outside of such systems and, accordingly, this will complicate the situation. Therefore we are in principle for the creation of theater missile defenses, but systems which would be open for all those wishing to participate in them.

Question: Were you able to advance on the political section of the Plan of Action today? If so then in which direction?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: Just now Strana.ru has asked this question and I have just now answered that all the basic questions of the Plan of Action are agreed upon, including the political section. All the questions. There only remain certain technical questions, which we expect to be agreed upon by the end of the week. Thus the document "Plan of Action" will by the end of the week be ready for its submission for the consideration of the leadership of the country.

Question: Have you shared with Strana.ru at least the principal provisions of the political part?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: The document must first be reported to the leadership. Only after its endorsement will we share those provisions with a Strana.ru correspondent and with other media representatives.

Question: Then a second question. Does the Russian side or Japanese have an exact perception of North Korea's nuclear programs and did you exchange any data in the course of today's meetings?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: Neither side has any new data. We orient ourselves to the information which was officially presented by the DPRK. We have no other information in our possession, nor did we receive any other information from the Japanese side.

Question: You mean the statement which was officially circulated and nothing more?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: No, nothing more.

Question: Colin Powell says he is going at the talks with you in Washington to raise the question of the supply of Russian nuclear technologies to Iran, which that country supposedly may use for military purposes.

Foreign Minister Ivanov: The subject of nonproliferation tied to Iran is continually examined in the course of Russian-American consultations at various levels, including the relevant ministries and departments, and so nothing new has occurred here.

Question: That is, Russia has supplied nothing?

Foreign Minister Ivanov: We strictly adhere to all the international rules concerning the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, both with respect to Iran and other countries.

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