The Russian government has no plans to change a Russian-Japanese fisheries accord allowing Japanese fishermen to operate in waters close to the disputed Russian-held islands off northern Japan, a Russian government source said Saturday.

The Russian parliament, concerned about ramifications of the fisheries pact on Russia's position in the territorial dispute, has demanded that the Russian government renegotiate the agreement, which has been in force since 1998.

The source said the Russian Foreign Ministry plans to notify the State Duma shortly of the government decision, and that the government expects the parliament's support.

The Russian Foreign Ministry decided to let the fisheries agreement stand, apparently out of concern that renegotiation could jeopardize the Russian position in its territorial dispute with Japan.