ST PETERSBURG — A possible working visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan is being linked with his plans to attend an APEC summit, which is to meet in November of this year, a source close to a Russian delegation told RIA Novosti. The possibility of a working visit was discussed on Tuesday at a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Yoshiro Mori, co-chairman of the Council of Wise Men and former premier of Japan.

The sides also took up the theme of a peace treaty between Russia and Japan. "Russia's principled stand is well known, the process has been underway for a long time and is far from simple," the source said.

The meeting discussed plans for laying a pipeline to the Russian port of Nakhodka in the Far East. The Russian side noted that it is aware of the interest shown by partners from China and Japan, but for Russia the main criterion must be development of Russian regions and their raw materials base.

At the end of 2004 the Russian government signed an executive order to build a Far Eastern pipeline to Nakhodka. The line will stretch from Taishet in the Irkutsk region to Perevoznaya Bay (Primorye Territory) and will have an annual throughput capacity of up to 80 million tons. The functions of the contractor to design and build the line are vested with OAO AK Transneft. The project is estimated at $10.75 billion. Japan said it is ready to take part in its financing.

In the course of the meeting between Putin and Mori, the sides also confirmed their interest in resuming six-nation negotiations on North Korea, the source said.