ＮＰＴ会議 核不拡散の強化を打ち出せ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 5, 2010)
Strengthen NPT regime for sake of global security
ＮＰＴ会議　核不拡散の強化を打ち出せ（5月4日付・読売社説）

How can we stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons, which threatens global security?
　世界の安全保障を脅かす核拡散をいかにして阻止していくのか。

A U.N. conference to review the performance of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which began in New York on Monday and runs through May 28, provides an important opportunity to implement tangible measures toward that goal.
　３日から２８日までニューヨークで開かれる核拡散防止条約（ＮＰＴ）の運用状況を検討する会議は、その具体策を講じる重要な機会だ。

The NPT is an international agreement aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
　ＮＰＴは、核兵器の拡散防止を図る国際的な取り決めである。

By limiting nuclear weapon states to just the five countries that tested nuclear weapons before 1967--Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States--and committing all the signatories to nuclear nonproliferation, the treaty inhibits the further appearance of such states.
　核兵器保有国を、１９６７年以前に核実験をした米露英仏中の５か国に限定し、全加盟国に不拡散を義務づけることで新たな核兵器国の出現を抑止するのが目的だ。

About 190 countries, including Japan, currently belong to the treaty, which came into force 40 years ago.
日本など約１９０か国が加盟し、発効から４０年を迎えた。

However, the NPT regime has been seriously undermined recently.
　だが、このＮＰＴ体制は大きく揺らいでいる。

North Korea conducted nuclear weapons tests twice after announcing its withdrawal from the pact, and has set a dangerous precedent of developing nuclear arms under the guise of the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
　北朝鮮はＮＰＴからの脱退を宣言し、核実験を２度も強行した。「原子力の平和利用」を隠れみのにした核兵器開発、という危険な先例を作った。

Iran also violated the treaty by avoiding inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and enriching uranium. It has continued enriching uranium in repeated defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding the country stop, trying to follow a similar course to that of North Korea.
　イランも国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）の査察をかいくぐり、ウラン濃縮を行う違反を犯した。国連安全保障理事会の再三の決議を無視して濃縮活動を続け、北朝鮮と同じ道をたどろうとしている。

Nuclear materials have been traded, and technology to produce nuclear bombs has spread in the global black market. This has increased the risk of rogue nations and terrorist organizations arming themselves with nuclear weapons.
　世界の闇市場で核関連物質が取引され、核爆弾の製造技術が広まった。ならず者国家やテロ組織の核武装の危険は高まっている。

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Cooperation vital

It is essential for the safety of the world to rebuild the NPT regime, a linchpin for preventing the global proliferation of nuclear arms. Member nations should try to agree on practical measures to enhance the NPT at the ongoing conference.
　世界の安全にとって、グローバルな不拡散体制の要であるＮＰＴの立て直しが不可欠だ。今回の会議で各国は、実質的なＮＰＴ強化策で合意を目指すべきである。

To realize this, nuclear weapon and nonnuclear weapon states have to cooperate with each other. Nuclear powers should more swiftly fulfill their obligations to reduce their stores of nuclear weapons, while nonnuclear weapon states must prove they are not developing nuclear arms through IAEA inspections.
　それには、核兵器国と非核国が協力する必要がある。核兵器国は核軍縮の義務履行を加速化すべきだ。非核国はＩＡＥＡの査察を通じて核開発していないことを立証しなければならない。

International cooperation toward the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons can be enhanced only if both sides tackle the issue seriously. But the current international situation does not allow us to be optimistic.
　双方が真摯(しんし)に取り組んでこそ不拡散の国際連携は強化できるが、現状は楽観できない。

The biggest destabilizing factor is Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended the U.N. conference to stop the adoption of a final consensus document for the event, which in principle requires a unanimous vote.
　最大の攪乱(かくらん)要因はイランだ。大統領自らが会議に出席し、全会一致が原則の「最終合意文書」の採択を阻む構えだ。

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Middle East frustrated

Japan and some European countries will demand at the conference the universalization of additional protocols, including provisions to reinforce the IAEA's powers to conduct inspections, and measures to prevent the misuse of announcements that countries are withdrawing from the NPT. More than a few developing countries are cautious, however, seeing this as interference from advanced countries.
　日本や欧米諸国は、ＮＰＴ脱退通告の乱用防止策や、ＩＡＥＡの査察権限を強化する追加議定書の普遍化を求める方針だ。だが、それを先進国による介入とみて警戒する途上国は少なくない。

Middle Eastern countries are very frustrated with the United States and European countries that play up the Iranian issue but do not acknowledge Israel's nuclear development because Israel is not a NPT signatory.
　中東諸国には、欧米諸国はイラン問題を重視しても、ＮＰＴ未加盟のイスラエルの核問題に向き合わない、との強い不満がある。

If mistrust grows between NPT members, their solidarity for nonproliferation will weaken.
　各国の相互不信が募れば不拡散のタガは緩む。

If this latest conference becomes a mere duplication of the previous gathering, which ended in failure, it will simply allow countries that violate the NPT, such as North Korea and Iran, to run rampant. A strong current must be created toward the enhancement of nuclear nonproliferation.
決裂に終わった前回会議の再現となっては、北朝鮮やイランのような違反国家の跋扈(ばっこ)を招くだけだ。不拡散強化へ大きな流れを作り出す必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 4, 2010)
（2010年5月4日01時18分 読売新聞）