TODAY: Economic ties and energy on the agenda for Putin’s Japan meeting; no end to the stalemate in Georgia, fears of violence resurge; Obama visit to Russia in July; Medvedev undermines Constitutional Court freedoms

Prime Minister Putin has emphasized friendly links with the ex-premier of Japan, Yoshiro Mori, in an attempt to facilitate an improvement in Russo-Japanese relations.  Russia is reportedly looking to come to an agreement on territorial issues with Japan (the four South Kuril Islands remaining a point of contention) through the development of more substantial economic ties.  Barack Obama’s first visit to Russia has been scheduled for July 6-8.  Cracks may appear to be forming in the restart but Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has insisted that he sees no political statement in Hillary Clinton’s absence from the meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the Middle East.  Russia, heading up the Security Council this month, has insisted attention be paid to the ‘urgency of reaching comprehensive peace in the Middle East’ through the use of ‘vigorous diplomatic action’.