ゴラン高原撤収 意義深かった１７年間のＰＫＯ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 23, 2012)
17-year SDF Golan mission played significant role
ゴラン高原撤収　意義深かった１７年間のＰＫＯ（12月22日付・読売社説）

The Self-Defense Forces have played a significant role in the U.N. peace-keeping operation in the Golan Heights, although it has not attracted much attention recently. The SDF has been working for the U.N. mission at the border between Israel and Syria for 17 years, the longest mission since the government first dispatched SDF personnel to a U.N. peace-keeping operation two decades ago.
　最近は、あまり注目されていなかったが、自衛隊最長の１７年間にも及ぶ国連平和維持活動（ＰＫＯ）が果たした役割は大きかったと言える。

Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto on Friday ordered members of the Ground Self-Defense Force transportation unit who were dispatched to the U.N. Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights to withdraw to Japan. The government decided on the pullout because the civil war between Syrian government forces and insurgents has intensified recently, making it impossible to strike a balance between securing the safety of GSDF personnel and doing substantial work in the mission.
　森本防衛相が、中東・ゴラン高原の国連兵力引き離し監視軍（ＵＮＤＯＦ）に派遣中の陸上自衛隊の輸送部隊に撤収を命令した。シリア内戦の激化で、隊員の安全確保と意義のある活動が両立しなくなったことが理由だ。

Deteriorating security forced the Japanese Embassy in Syria to close down in March and has limited activities of GSDF members in UNDOF. For instance, the GSDF has used a private company to do part of its transport work since June. In another sign of worsening security, Austrian soldiers in UNDOF recently came under attack.
　治安情勢の悪化で、今年３月に在シリア日本大使館が閉鎖され、６月からは輸送業務の一部を民間業者に委託するなど、陸自の活動が制限されていた。最近は、ＵＮＤＯＦ要員への襲撃もあった。

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GSDF pullout inevitable

We understand the government decided to bring the GSDF unit home due to circumstances beyond its control.
　撤収はやむを得ない判断だ。

In December 1995, the government decided to send GSDF members to join the U.N. mission on the border between the two Middle Eastern countries.
　シリア・イスラエル国境付近への陸自の派遣が決まったのは、１９９５年１２月である。

GSDF members have been in charge of transporting daily necessities between Damascus, the capital of Syria, and the area of separation, a kind of buffer zone between the two nations, and repairing roads and clearing snow in the area. They are replaced every six months. Currently, 44 members of the GSDF transport unit are with UNDOF in addition to three members assigned to its command.
　シリアの首都ダマスカスと兵力引き離し地帯の間の生活物資輸送や、道路の補修、除雪などを担当した。半年ごとに部隊を入れ替えており、今は輸送部隊４４人と司令部要員３人を派遣している。

GSDF activities in the Golan Heights have constituted part of the U.N. ceasefire monitoring to keep peace in the Middle East and at the same time played the role of a "PKO school," preparing SDF members for other international operations contributing to peace.
　ゴラン高原での陸自の活動は、中東和平の停戦監視の一翼を担うとともに、国際平和協力活動に参加する陸自の人材を養成する「ＰＫＯの学校」の役割があった。

SDF members will be able to work for international cooperation under more difficult circumstances because of their experience in the U.N. mission in the Golan Heights. They have deepened their own understanding of peace-keeping operations and interacted with PKO members from other countries. Over the 17 years, a total of 1,500 SDF members have been dispatched to the Golan Heights.
　ＰＫＯの知見を深め、他国の要員と交流することなどを通じて、より厳しい環境の国際協力活動にも対応できるようになる。１７年間でゴラン高原に派遣された隊員は延べ約１５００人に上る。

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Japan's first participation in a U.N. peace-keeping operation. Since then, a total of 9,200 SDF members have participated in peace-keeping missions. With a greater number of its members who have experienced international operations, the SDF could enhance partnerships and cooperative relations with armed forces in other countries and improve its own abilities to cope with emergencies.
　今年は日本のＰＫＯ初参加から２０年になる。この間、延べ約９２００人がＰＫＯに参加している。国際経験を持つ隊員が増えることは、他国の軍隊との連携・協力関係が強まるうえ、自衛隊の対処能力の向上にもつながろう。

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Relax rules on weapons use

The GSDF now in Haiti is also scheduled to pull out by next spring. Since 2010, the GSDF unit has helped restore damage caused to the country by a major earthquake that occurred in the same year. When it returns to Japan, the unit will leave behind 14 heavy machines it used for the Haitian government.
　陸自のＰＫＯでは、大震災のあったハイチで２０１０年から活動していた部隊も、来春までに撤収する。その際、使用した重機１４両をハイチに譲与する予定だ。

The machines include four with gun mounts, which in the past could not have been handed over to other countries because they were considered arms. However, the offer of the machines became possible after Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Cabinet relaxed the government's three principles on arms exports at the end of last year. We think Japan should proactively supply what were considered arms in the past to other countries in the future for such peace-building and humanitarian purposes.
　このうち銃座が付いた４両は従来、「武器」とみなされ、提供できなかったが、昨年末の野田内閣による武器輸出３原則の緩和で可能になった。今後も、こうした平和構築・人道目的の武器供与は積極的に実施したい。

Meanwhile, the GSDF is still working for a U.N. peace-keeping operation in South Sudan. We urge the government to relax tight restrictions imposed on SDF members' use of weapons. The current law allows them to use weapons exclusively for self-defense purposes, preventing SDF members from working effectively in U.N. missions. The law should be revised to enable the SDF to rush to the defense of PKO members of other countries or civilians facing hostilities and save them by using weapons if necessary.
　陸自のＰＫＯは南スーダンで継続している。課題は自衛官の武器使用権限の拡大だ。正当防衛以外の武器使用を制限する現行法では効果的な活動はできない。「駆けつけ警護」を可能にすべきだ。

We expect the new government to be formed next week to again tackle revision of the U.N. Peacekeeping Cooperation Law, an effort that has repeatedly failed in the past.
　来週発足する新政権は、これまで挫折続きのＰＫＯ協力法改正に改めて取り組んでもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 22, 2012)
（2012年12月22日01時04分  読売新聞）