on the declaration, they intended to confirm the conditions for under the so-called "Adenauer Formula" in which diplomatic relations were to be restored without signing a peace treaty and the territorial problem was to be shelved for future negotiation. The formula did not pass, however, since in spite of preliminary agreement with the Soviets to shelve the territorial issue, Japan raised it at the negotiations and managed to get their territorial clause in the declaration but "interpreted in such a manner as to preserve the plenipotentiaries' face at home": "Habomais and Shikotan were promised in the Joint Declaration, and the question of Kunashiri and Etorofu was to be settled during negotiations for a peace treaty." The disagreement between "two-island transfer" stipulated in the 1956 declaration and Japan's persistent demand of "four-island return" became the cornerstone for continuation of the Kuril Islands dispute in Soviet and in post-Soviet years. Legacy On November 14, 2004, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on the NTV interview that the Russian Federation, which was the successor state of the Soviet Union, recognized the Declaration of 1956, and was ready to have territorial talks with Japan on that basis and was followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the next day. However, the dispute persists, no peace treaty has yet been signed, and the islands remain under Russian administration. See also Japan–Soviet Union relations References Further reading Pavliatenko, Viktor. "The Difficult Road to Peace. On the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Joint Soviet-Japanese Declaration." Far Eastern Affairs: A Russian Journal on China, Japan and Asia-Pacific Region 34.4 (2006) pp 77–100. External links Text of the declaration, from the UN website South Kuriles/Northern Territories: A Stumbling-block in Russia–Japan Relations 1956 in Japan 1956 in the Soviet Union October 1956 events in Europe Japan–Soviet Union relations 1956 in international relations Peace treaties of the Soviet Union Peace treaties of Japan Treaties concluded in 1956 Cold War treaties October 1956 events in Asia Japan–Russia treaties