Navy's official says Kurils are essential for Russia

21.03.2011 Kuril Islands which are under Japan's territorial claims are essential for Russia from political, military, and economic viewpoints, said deputy chief of Navy Main HQ Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev.

Japan claims for 4 islands situated in southern part of Kuril range – Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai.

"First, those islands belong to Russia so cannot be handed over to Japan", said Burtsev during Saturday's interview to Echo Moskvy radio.

Militarily, islands are important because surrounding straits are nonfreezing and navigable, said he.

"Besides, the farther location of our surveillance systems, the more time we have for early warning in case of contingency", the admiral said.

He also pointed out significance of economic issue, and particularly underlined that the disputable areas include spawning routes of red salmon.

Burtsev appeared on the air on the occasion of 105th anniversary of Russian submarine force.

In its territorial claims, Japan refers to the 1855 Treaty of Shimoda. Moscow insists those islands were annexed by the Soviet Union after the World War II; as long as Russia became a legal successor of the USSR, its sovereignty over the islands is legal and beyond any doubts.