北朝鮮核検証体制

(Jul. 11, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun

No compromising on checking DPRK report

６か国協議　核検証体制では妥協するな（7月11日付・読売社説）

A strong verification system needs to be agreed to realize the abandonment of North Korea's nuclear programs.

北朝鮮の核廃棄の実現へ、強力な検証体制を作らねばならない。

Negotiators to the six-party talks on North Korea's denuclearization met Thursday in Beijing to start their talks. In response to North Korea's recent declaration of its nuclear programs, the six-nation meeting aims to agree on substantive ways to verify the report.

６か国協議が北京で始まった。北朝鮮の核開発計画の申告を受け、内容の虚実を検証するための具体的な方法を詰めることが目的だ。

Most importantly, the report submitted by North Korea at the end of last month was incomplete because it failed to include information such as the number of nuclear weapons the country has and where they are stored.

そもそも、北朝鮮が先月末に提出した申告は、核兵器の数や保管場所などの情報が含まれていない不完全なものだ。

North Korea is believed to have reported that the quantity of extracted plutonium capable of being used for making nuclear bombs was about 30 kilograms. To grasp the entire picture of North Korea's nuclear development program, it is necessary to strictly verify the report. If verification procedures are not sufficiently carried out, it will leave loopholes allowing North Korea to possess nuclear materials.

核爆弾の原料となるプルトニウム抽出量は約３０キロ・グラムとされるが、核開発の全体像を把握するには、厳しく精査しなければならない。検証がいいかげんなら、北朝鮮に核保有の“抜け道”を残す。

(loophole=逃げ道、抜け穴)

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Full inspection access needed

（完全なる立ち入り検査が必要）

The five other members of the six-party talks are demanding entry into North Korea's nuclear facilities and the right to question the engineers there and receive written answers to questions.

北朝鮮を除く５か国は、核施設への立ち入りや、技術者からの聞き取り、疑問点に対する文書回答、などを求めている。

North Korea has insisted its declaration is "complete and accurate." In this respect, it is a matter of course that the country should accept such requests.

北朝鮮は、申告を「完全で正確」と主張している以上、こうした措置の受け入れは当然だ。

(a matter of course=当然のこと)

But it is most important for the five countries to take the initiative in selecting facilities to be inspected and the makeup of inspectors to be dispatched.

肝要なのは、具体的な査察対象の選定や、査察団の構成でも、５か国が主導権を握ることだ。

Apart from three nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, which North Korea agreed to disable, inspectors should examine all suspicious facilities, including all locations used for nuclear waste processing and storage.

北朝鮮が無能力化を受け入れた寧辺の３施設以外にも、核廃棄物処理・貯蔵施設など、疑わしい施設はすべて調査すべきだ。

It is important to have International Atomic Energy Agency officials as a part of inspections to determine quantities of plutonium. IAEA inspectors used to be stationed at Yongbyon, and the organization therefore is familiar with situation in the country.

かつて寧辺に査察官を常駐させ、現地情報に詳しい国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）を検証に参加させることは、プルトニウムの量などを推計する上でも重要だ。

However, there is a possibility that North Korea could be reluctant to accept such demands and attempt to prolong negotiations.

北朝鮮が要求に難色を示し、交渉を引き延ばす可能性もある。

For its part, the United States is believed to want to start verification procedures by Aug. 11, when North Korea's removal from the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism goes into effect. The United States apparently wishes to hold foreign minister-level talks among the six countries at an early date to pave the way for the last stage of negotiations on North Korea's denuclearization process to give the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush an achievement to point to.

米国は、テロ支援国指定解除が発効する８月１１日までに検証を始めたいようだ。６か国の外相会議の開催を急ぎ、最終段階の核廃棄交渉に道をつけることで、ブッシュ政権の実績にしたい、という思惑があるのだろう。

(denuclearization=核廃棄)

But easy compromises should not be made.

安易な妥協は禁物である。

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Abduction issue still on table

(未解決の拉致問題)

Washington should be resolute in its negotiations with Pyongyang, warning that the United States could reverse its decision to remove North Korea from the terrorism blacklist.

米国は、北朝鮮が非協力的なら指定解除を撤回するとの強い態度で、交渉に臨んでもらいたい。

North Korea is asking for economic and energy aid in exchange for the disablement of its nuclear facilities and a declaration of its nuclear programs. However, it will be difficult for Japan to be part of such assistance programs unless there is progress on the abduction issue. Though North Korea promised Japan it would reinvestigate the issue, it still fails to make any effort.

北朝鮮は、核施設の無能力化と申告の見返りに経済・エネルギー支援を求めている。だが、拉致問題に「進展」がなければ、日本が支援に加わることは難しい。北朝鮮は拉致問題の「再調査」を約束しながら、何もしていない。

(disablement=無能力化)

Leaders of the Group of Eight countries expressed their support to "the resolution of the outstanding issues of concern such as the abductions" in their statement adopted at the end of their summit meeting in Toyakocho, Hokkaido.

サミットの首脳宣言では、「拉致問題などの未解決の懸案事項の解決」を目指す６か国協議への支持が表明された。

Bush also made it clear that the United States would not "abandon" the abduction issue.

ブッシュ米大統領も「拉致問題を置き去りにしない」と明言している。

The Japanese government needs to be persistent at the six-party talks, explaining its position of seeking a resolution to nuclear abandonment coupled with the abduction issue, so it can gain support from other countries concerned.

政府は、６か国協議を通じて核廃棄と拉致問題と両方の前進を目指す、という日本の立場を粘り強く説明し、関係国の支持を求めていく必要がある。

(Persistent=粘り強い、不屈の、決して妥協しない)

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 11, 2008)

（2008年7月11日01時50分  読売新聞）