Abe, Putin vow to speed up peace treaty talks, hint at challenges

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Tuesday to accelerate talks on a postwar peace treaty that has not been concluded due to a territorial dispute, while suggesting the process will not be easy.The summit in Moscow was held after the two agreed in November to step up their search for a solution on the basis of a 1956 joint declaration, which calls for the handover of two of four disputed isles off Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido."We confirmed our resolve to powerfully work (on the issue) under the leadership of myself and President Put…READ FULL ARTICLE