安保理議長声明 北朝鮮への警戒を怠るな

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 12, 2010)
Maintain vigilance against North Korea
安保理議長声明　北朝鮮への警戒を怠るな（7月11日付・読売社説）

The U.N. Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a presidential statement that condemned "an attack that led to the sinking" of the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan in March.
　韓国海軍の哨戒艦沈没事件について、国連安全保障理事会が、「沈没につながった攻撃」を非難する議長声明を全会一致で採択した。

South Korea referred the incident to the Security Council early last month. Although long overdue, it was a welcome development that the Security Council was unanimous in expressing its will to thwart any attack or other hostile action that would further aggravate the situation.
　韓国がこの問題を安保理に付託したのは先月初めのことだった。やや遅きに失した感はあるが、安保理が結束して、これ以上、事態を悪化させる攻撃や敵対行為を阻止する意思を表明したのは歓迎できる。

However, diplomatic bargaining rendered the presidential statement unsatisfactory because of its opacity on the crucial point of who attacked the South Korean vessel.
　だが、声明の内容には不満がある。だれが攻撃したのかという肝心な点が、外交的な駆け引きの末にぼかされてしまったからだ。

The presidential statement expressed "deep concern" over the incident following South Korea's investigation into it that found North Korea responsible for the sinking. At the same time, the statement also "took note" of North Korea's assertion stating "it had nothing to do with the incident."
　議長声明は、北朝鮮に責任があるとした韓国の調査結果を受けて「深い懸念」を表明した。同時に「事件と無関係」とする北朝鮮などの主張にも「留意」した。

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Equivocal statement

Behind the presidential statement is the assumption that China would not have given its approval unless the document incorporated the opinions of both sides.
　両論併記でなければ中国が支持しなかったという事情がある。

South Korea's joint military-civilian investigation team concluded that the cause of the Cheonan sinking was a torpedo attack by North Korea. Based on that conclusion, Japan and the United States have given full support to South Korea, which has denounced North Korea's responsibility.
　事件をめぐり、韓国の軍民合同調査団は、「沈没の原因は北朝鮮の魚雷攻撃」と断定した。それを踏まえ、日本と米国は、北朝鮮の責任を糾弾する韓国政府を全面的に支持してきた。

In response, China, which has deep relations with North Korea, rejected the investigation's conclusion and was cautious over the Security Council's handling of the issue.
　これに対し、北朝鮮とつながりが深い中国は、調査団の結論を受け入れず、安保理で扱うこと自体に慎重な姿勢だった。

China reportedly was strongly opposed to condemning North Korea by name, saying such a move could provoke Pyongyang militarily. There also is no doubt that China took a negative view of a planned joint naval exercise by the United States and South Korea on the Yellow Sea as a reaction against North Korea.
　安保理で中国は、北朝鮮を名指しして非難すれば暴発する恐れがある、と強く反対したという。北朝鮮に対抗して、米韓が黄海で合同訓練を予定していることへの拒否感もあったに違いない。

The problem now is North Korea's next move. Soon after the Security Council's unanimous adoption of a presidential statement condemning North Korea's test-firing of a ballistic missile last year, an enraged Pyongyang conducted its second nuclear test since 2006.
　問題は今後の北朝鮮の出方だ。昨年、安保理が北朝鮮の弾道ミサイル発射を非難する議長声明を全会一致で採択するや、北朝鮮は激高し再度の核実験を強行した。

If North Korea takes another provocative action that threatens regional safety in response to the current situation, Japan, South Korea and the United States will need to further strengthen their coordination in a determined, resolute manner to block such action. China and Russia also should act in concert with Tokyo, Seoul and Washington.
　今回も、北朝鮮が地域の安全を脅かす挑発に出るようなら、日米韓はこれを断固阻止する決意で連携を一層強化する必要がある。中国とロシアも協調すべきだ。


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North Korea at crossroads

Conversely, if North Korea chooses the road toward abolishing its nuclear weapons, the international community will cooperate in rehabilitating Pyongyang's economy. First and foremost, North Korea unconditionally must return to the six-party talks on scrapping its nuclear ambitions.
　北朝鮮が逆に核廃棄への道を選択するなら、経済再建へ国際社会も協力できる。無条件で６か国協議に復帰することが先決だ。

North Korea has been rocked by anxiety over the declining health of its leader Kim Jong Il and the country's economic collapse.
　北朝鮮は金正日総書記の健康不安や経済破綻(はたん)で揺らいでいる。

In May, Kim Il Chol, former minister of the North Korean People's Armed Forces, suddenly was dismissed from the country's National Defense Commission and as first vice minister of the People's Armed Forces. Last month, during a session of the Supreme People's Assembly, which is normally held only once a year but was convened twice this year, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law was promoted to a powerful position in the leadership. Also, in September, North Korea plans to hold a meeting of delegates of its ruling communist Workers' Party of Korea for the first time in 44 years. The moves apparently are related to the eventual transfer of power from Kim Jong Il.
　最近も、前人民武力相が突然要職を解任された。異例の年内２度招集の最高人民会議では総書記の義弟が昇進した。９月には４４年ぶりに労働党代表者会を開く。いずれも権力継承に絡む動きだ。

The sinking of the South Korean naval vessel occurred in the context of these dangerous times. Given North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles, we must never omit precautions for unexpected contingencies. Now is the time for Japan, South Korea and the United States to first start discussions on contingency planning.
　この危険な時期に哨戒艦事件は起きた。核兵器とミサイルを持つ北朝鮮だけに、この先も不測の事態へ警戒を怠ってはならない。まず日米韓の３か国が有事を想定した協議を始める時ではないか。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 11, 2010)
（2010年7月11日01時09分 読売新聞）