オバマ演説 北朝鮮への対応が試金石だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Apr. 7, 2009)
North Korea puts ball in Obama's court
オバマ演説　北朝鮮への対応が試金石だ（4月7日付・読売社説）

U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday set out the U.S. policy of being actively engaged in nuclear arms reduction and preventing nuclear terrorism to bring about a peaceful and safe "world without nuclear weapons."
　オバマ米大統領が、核拡散防止に関する包括的な演説を行い、平和で安全な「核のない世界」の実現に向け、核軍縮や核テロ阻止などに積極的に対処していく方針を示した。

During his comprehensive speech on nuclear nonproliferation in Prague, Obama also declared he would host a summit meeting within a year on global nuclear security to strengthen international coordination on the issue.
国際連携の強化へ、「核安全保障サミット」の開催も宣言した。

Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, agreed during talks on Wednesday in London that the two countries will start negotiations on reducing their nuclear stockpiles and seek substantial cuts in the number of nuclear warheads they hold. Obama's declaration of his strong resolve to prevent nuclear proliferation came just days after these talks.
　先の米露首脳会談では、大幅な核削減を目指す核軍縮交渉の開始で合意した。
それに続く核拡散防止への強い意欲の表明だ。

The threat of global nuclear war diminished after the Cold War ended. However, nuclear proliferation has become a stark reality after nuclear tests by India, Pakistan and North Korea and Iran's nuclear development. Threats such as nuclear terrorism will only grow.
　冷戦後、世界核戦争の恐怖は減少した。だが、インド、パキスタン、北朝鮮の核実験やイランの核開発によって核拡散は現実となり、核テロなどの脅威は日増しに高まっている。

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NPT framework rocked

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty framework, which bans countries other than Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States from possessing nuclear arms, has been shaken to its foundation.
　核兵器の保有は米露英仏中の５か国以外には認めないとした核拡散防止条約（ＮＰＴ）体制は根底から揺らいでいる。

The Obama administration apparently hopes to shore up this framework under the U.S. initiative announced by the president.
　この現状を、米国主導で立て直そうというのが、オバマ政権の狙いだろう。

During Sunday's speech, Obama said the United States, the only country to have used nuclear weapons, had a "moral responsibility" to take action to help rid the world of nuclear weapons. We applaud Obama on this point, and we hope the president will be able to accomplish his objectives.
　大統領は、世界で唯一、核兵器を使用した米国には、「核拡散防止のために行動すべき道義的な責任」があると述べた。言やよし、ぜひ成果をあげてもらいたい。

The abolition of nuclear weapons is the ultimate prize, but this will be a extremely difficult task. Obama admitted during his speech, "This goal will not be reached quickly, perhaps not in my lifetime." Even so, it is important to take a realistic approach and nip in the bud each and every potential threat to the world's safety.
　目標に掲げた核兵器の廃絶は、大統領も「私が生きているうちは達成できない」と認めた通り、究極のゴールだ。重要なのは、世界の安全を脅かす危険な芽を丹念に摘み取る現実的な取り組みだ。

Whether Obama can take concrete action is being tested in dealing with North Korea, which launched a long-range ballistic missile Sunday in defiance of warnings from the international community.
　具体的な行動が、国際社会の警告を無視して長距離弾道ミサイルを発射した北朝鮮への対処で、さっそく問われている。

"North Korea broke the rules once more...Now is the time for a strong international response," Obama said of Pyongyang's missile launch. The first step on this issue will hinge on the decision of the U.N. Security Council.
　大統領は、北朝鮮のミサイル発射に言及し、「再びルールを破った」として、「断固とした国際的な対応を取る」と言明した。国連安全保障理事会でいかなる決定を下すかが、その第一歩となる。

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UNSC members not in tune

However, differences in stances among the 15 members of the Security Council have surfaced on this matter.
　安保理では、早くも各国の立場の違いが表面化している。

Japan, Britain, France and the United States are seeking a new Security Council resolution that calls for the stricter enforcement of existing sanctions on North Korea. These countries agree that Sunday's launch violated Security Council Resolution 1718, which demanded Pyongyang abandon its ballistic missile program.
　日本や米国、英国、フランスは、ミサイル放棄を求めた安保理決議１７１８の違反だ、として制裁の履行を徹底する決議の採択を目指している。

However, China and Russia have not sided with Japan and the other three countries. They apparently accept North Korea's claim that it launched a satellite.
　だが、中国とロシアは、「人工衛星の打ち上げ」という北朝鮮の主張に理解を示し、日米などに同調していない。

If the Security Council fails to adopt swift and robust measures against North Korea, the reclusive country will continue to use its nuclear arms and missiles to provoke and threaten others.
　安保理が迅速に強い措置を取らなければ、北朝鮮は今後も、核やミサイルの挑発を続けよう。

Japan is within range of North Korea's Rodong missiles that have been deployed. If North Korea succeeds in building a smaller nuclear warhead, Japan will be staring down the barrel of a terrifying threat.
　北朝鮮が核兵器の小型化に成功すれば、実戦配備ずみのノドン・ミサイルの射程にある日本にとって、脅威は極めて深刻化する。

Can Obama exercise strong leadership in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons? His ability to follow through on this is now being put to the test.
核拡散防止へ強い指導力を発揮できるのか。オバマ大統領の力量が、試される局面だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 7, 2009)
（2009年4月7日01時39分  読売新聞）