新核軍縮条約―多国間の削減へ踏み出せ

2010/12/25
--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 24
EDITORIAL: New nuclear disarmament treaty
新核軍縮条約―多国間の削減へ踏み出せ

A new nuclear disarmament treaty aimed at reducing U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons has taken a major step toward validation. The U.S. Senate, which had been reluctant to pass and ratify it, finally approved it eight months after it was signed.
　米ロの戦略核兵器を減らす新核軍縮条約が、発効へと大きく前進した。批准承認を渋っていた米議会上院が、条約調印から８カ月たってようやく可決にたどりついた。

With no prospects for the treaty to take effect, U.S. President Barack Obama's initiative for "a world without nuclear weapons" could have lost its footing. It is significant that the Senate approved it at the last moment and did not allow the initiative aimed at abolishing nuclear weapons to fall apart.
　発効のめどがたたないままだと、オバマ大統領が打ち出した「核のない世界」への構想が根本から揺らぎかねなかった。土俵際で踏みとどまって、核ゼロに向かう構想を崩壊させなかったことの意義は大きい。

The development should provide momentum for the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty that President Obama mentioned in his April 2009 "Prague speech" and to strike a treaty on banning production of weapons-grade fissionable materials. Nuclear powers are also urged to step up their efforts for disarmament without delay.
　これを弾みにして、昨年４月の「プラハ演説」で示した包括的核実験禁止条約（ＣＴＢＴ）の米国での批准、兵器用核分裂性物質の生産禁止に関する条約交渉の開始、核保有国によるさらなる軍縮などを、一刻も早く前進させるべきである。

In particular, we wish to make a request on future nuclear disarmament.
　とくに、今後の核軍縮について注文をつけておきたい。

The United States and Russia are required to reduce the number of strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 or fewer within seven years from the time the treaty takes effect. But even this figure means the two countries would still possess enormous capability to destroy civilization.
　米ロは、新条約の発効から７年以内に、戦略核弾頭を双方１５５０発以下まで減らす。だがこの数でさえ、過剰な殺戮（さつりく）能力が残ることに変わりない。

Instead of seven years, the countries should hasten negotiations for the treaty to cut the number of nuclear warheads to 1,000 or fewer. If possible, the next nuclear disarmament treaty should take effect before the next Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference slated for 2015.
　文明破壊の危険から脱するために、この期限を待たずに１千発以下に減らす条約交渉を急ぐべきだ。できれば、２０１５年にある次回の核不拡散条約（ＮＰＴ）再検討会議までに、次の核軍縮条約を発効させたい。

It is also important to sound out consultations with nuclear powers other than the United States and Russia.
　米ロ以外の核保有国との協議をさぐることも大事だ。

China has maintained the stance that the United States and Russia should take the lead in nuclear disarmament.
　中国は「米ロ核軍縮が先だ」との立場をとり続けてきた。

However, if prospects for each of the two countries to possess 1,000 nuclear warheads or fewer become likely, even China would no longer be able to escape the disarmament administration. Rather, it should positively propose multilateral consultations.
だが、米ロ双方の１千発以下の時代が見えてくれば、もはや中国も核軍備管理から逃げられない。むしろ積極的に多国間の協議について提案すべきだろう。

In particular, in Asia, the United States, China and related countries need to discuss how the regional arms control and security framework ought to be so as not to trigger an arms race in conventional forces.
　とくにアジアでは、核軍縮が通常戦力の軍拡を引き起こすことがないように、地域的な軍備管理、安全保障の枠組みのあり方を米中や関係国で協議していく必要がある。

As a country that suffered atomic bombings, Japan has an important role to appeal to other countries and present a new initiative. We must also not forget that it would also benefit Japan's own security.
　それを呼びかけ、新たな構想を示すのは、被爆国である日本の重要な役割だろう。それが日本の安全保障に資することも忘れてはならない。

For the new treaty to take effect, ratification by Russia is indispensable. Russia's nuclear missiles are rapidly aging. Without the treaty, the cost of renewing them will weigh heavily on the country. In that sense, the treaty is also reasonable for Russia and should be ratified as soon as possible.
　今回の新条約の発効には、ロシアの批准が欠かせない。条約がなければ、急速に老朽化が進む核ミサイルの更新費用が大きな財政負担になる。ロシアにも理にかなう条約だ。早期に批准すべきである。

Former U.S. secretaries of state and defense of the former Republican administration have expressed their support for the new treaty one after another. Despite such circumstances, the approval had been put off because there is strong reluctance within the Republican Party to help Obama score a point.
　新条約には米国の共和党政権期の元国務長官、元国防長官たちが相次いで支持を表明してきた。それなのに承認が先延ばしされたのは、共和党内にオバマ大統領の得点になることに協力したくない空気が強いからだ。

Unless Washington advances nuclear disarmament, its position to call for the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons would weaken and directly affect the security of the United States and its allies.
　核軍縮を進めぬ限り、核不拡散を主張する米国の足場は弱まる。それは、米国や同盟国の安全保障問題に直結する。

The Republican Party's stance of dragging nuclear disarmament due to its partisan interests makes light of the will of many countries that aim at "a world without nuclear weapons" under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. We strongly urge the Republican Party to reflect on its behavior.
党派的な利害で足を引っ張る共和党の姿勢は、ＮＰＴの下で「核のない世界」に向かう多くの国の意思を軽視するものだ。強く反省を促したい。