MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested in a teleconference Friday that the northern territories are included as the targets of the provision to prohibit negotiations on territorial cession in recently approved legislation-related constitutional amendments.
Referring to a newly erected monument commemorating the constitutional amendments on Kunashiri Island in the northern territories, Putin emphasized the significance of the provision.
This is the first time that Putin made comments on the provision in relation to the northern territories.
In the teleconference with members of the working-level panel for the constitutional amendments, Putin introduced the monument, saying, "Residents in a region where they consider this theme [the provision] as especially important erected the ferroconcrete monument."
He also stated that the monument was built based on a proposal that the constitutional amendments should be as solid as ferroconcrete.
With about 80% of the voters in favor, the legislation was approved in a national referendum on Wednesday. Putin issued a presidential decree to enforce the amended Constitution on Saturday.
Regarding Putin's comments on the provision, it is possible that Putin was hinting at a policy not to make any territorial-related concessions to Japan while at the same time furthering bilateral negotiations with Japan for a peace treaty and joint economic activities in the northern territories.
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