RUSSIAN TRAWLER LEFT JAPANESE TERRITORIAL WATERS, WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN








TOKYO, MARCH 5, 2001, /FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT VYACHESLAV BANTIN/ -- The Russian ship STM-17, which escaped from Russian coast guards' motor-boats and planes and cast anchor in Japan, left the port of Wakkanai, Hokkaido island. The ship cleared the port after a high-ranking official from the Russian diplomatic mission in Japan hold two-hour talks with the master of the ship, Sergei Stepanov, on Sunday afternoon. The topic of the talks has not been disclosed.


	However, before the talks, the ship's master refused to leave the port, using the failed ship's engine as a cover. Japanese authorities say repair works ended on March 2. After meeting the Russian diplomat, Sergei Stepanov asked the Japanese authorities to provide the trawler with fresh water. No sooner had the Japanese authorities started loading the ship with it, then the STM-17 suddenly weighed anchor and sailed off without the fresh water.


	Four Japanese coast guard boats escorted the vessel to the border of the Japanese territorial waters. After that, the STM-17 laid north.


	On February 20, Russian coast guards suspected that there were contraband goods aboard the vessel and ordered that the STM-17 stop the engine and go adrift. But the ship hoisted the Japanese colours and entered the Russian territorial waters.


	Actually, there were no goods on board and the Japanese authorities demanded that the ship immediately leave the Japanese territorial waters. But the master of the ship refused point-blank saying that the ship's engine needs extensive and necessary repairs.