Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a viable solution to the territorial dispute with Japan, which has been clouding the relations between the two countries.

"The problems we face are difficult, but we want to solve them," Putin said Wednesday while meeting with former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori in the Kremlin.

"We don't simply want to engage in looking for a solution, we are interested in finding a solution for these problems and we need to find a solution which could be accepted by both sides," headded.

"All obstacles to the development of our relations must be removed. We must find a way of solving these issues that would be acceptable for both Russia and Japan."

Putin also hoped that the so-called Council of Wise Men, an expert panel co-chaired by Mori and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, would help narrow the gap between Russia and Japan over the issue.

The Council of Wise Men was established in October 2003 in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, in accordance with the agreement reached by Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Russia and Japan have failed to sign a peace treaty to formallyend their World War II hostilities due to the dispute over the four southernmost islands in the Kuril chain that were occupied bythe former Soviets in the closing days of the war. Both nations have claimed sovereignty over the islands.

However, Russia and Japan pledged efforts to solve the long-standing territorial dispute in January 2003 after Putin and Koizumi signed a joint declaration in Moscow.

Source: Xinhua