英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Oct. 7, 2009)
N. Korea must return to six-party talks
温家宝訪朝　北朝鮮は６か国協議に戻れ（10月7日付・読売社説）

In a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il referred to the possibility that his country could return to the six-party talks aimed at scrapping the country's nuclear development program.
　北朝鮮の金正日総書記が、中国の温家宝首相との会談で、核廃棄を目指す６か国協議に復帰する可能性に言及した。

Six months ago, North Korea declared it would never return to the six-party talks after the U.N. Security Council condemned the country for its test launch of a long-range ballistic missile.
　半年前、北朝鮮は、長距離弾道ミサイル発射を国連安全保障理事会に非難されるや、６か国協議に「二度と絶対に参加しない」と宣言していた。

In the meeting Monday with the Chinese leader, however, Kim indicated North Korea was prepared to attend multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, depending on progress in its negotiations with the United States. This represents a change of Pyongyang's position. The North Korean leader is also believed to have made the statement to receive economic aid in return.
　それが今回、「米朝協議の状況を見て」という条件つきながら、金総書記自ら「６か国協議を含む多国間協議」に応じる用意を表明したのは、姿勢の変化には違いない。経済支援の見返りを当て込んでの発言でもあっただろう。

However, it remains uncertain whether North Korea really intends to return to the six-party talks, because it has not changed its stance of focusing on its negotiations with the United States.
　ただし、実際に協議復帰につながるのかは、依然不透明だ。あくまでも対米交渉に主眼を置く構えに変化は見られないからだ。

The United States has made it clear that it is ready to hold talks with North Korea if the dialogue is intended to persuade the North to return to the six-party talks. It is essential at this time for the United States to sufficiently coordinate with Japan, China, South Korea and Russia--the other parties involved in the six-party talks.
　米国は、６か国協議復帰を説得する目的なら、北朝鮮と対話する用意がある、としている。日中韓露４か国と、十分な調整を進めることが肝要だ。

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Pyongyang defiant

The problem is that North Korea intends to turn its possession of nuclear weapons into a fait accompli. It has conducted nuclear testing twice, refusing to scrap its nuclear development program.
　問題は、北朝鮮が、核兵器保有の既成事実化を図ろうとしている点にある。核実験を２回強行し、核開発をやめようともしない。

The U.N. Security Council is right to have imposed sanctions on North Korea with resolutions. The sanctions must not be relaxed in any way until North Korea reaffirms its pledge to scrap its nuclear development program, as stipulated in the joint statement agreed upon in the six-party talks in September 2005, and takes concrete steps to abandon the program.
　この北朝鮮に、安保理が決議で制裁を科しているのは当然だ。２００５年９月の６か国協議の共同声明に明記した核廃棄の約束を、北朝鮮が再確認し、核放棄へ具体的に動くときまで、制裁はいささかも緩めてはならない。

Wen visited North Korea with an important responsibility as the representative of China, which chairs the six-party talks.
　温家宝首相は、６か国協議の議長国・中国の代表として、重大な責務を担っての訪朝だった。

Visiting North Korea in the "friendship year" that marks the 60th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties, Wen was outwardly welcomed with great enthusiasm.
　国交樹立６０周年の「友好年」ということで、温首相は表向き、熱烈歓迎された。

In truth, however, China-North Korea relations have cooled down considerably. Wen's visit marked the first by a Chinese premier to North Korea in 18 years. Chinese President Hu Jintao paid his last visit to North Korea back in 2005. The two countries' relations have become chilly mainly because of North Korea's nuclear development program.
だが、中朝関係は冷え切っている。首相の訪朝は１８年ぶり、胡錦濤国家主席も２００５年に訪れたきりだ。冷却化の主因は、北朝鮮の核開発にある。

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Reluctant to punish ally

China has been cautious about implementing sanctions against North Korea. This policy is believed to be one of the factors that resulted in the situation today.
　中国は、北朝鮮に対する制裁措置の実施に慎重な姿勢を示してきた。それが、今日の事態を招く一因になったとも言える。

China apparently took such a stance out of the belief that imposing sanctions against North Korea would shake the country's regime, which would adversely affect stability--and stability is China's top priority.
　制裁により北朝鮮の体制が揺らげば、中国にとって最優先の「安定」に悪影響が及ぶとみたのだろう。

In reality, as a result of North Korea continuing its nuclear development program, stability in East Asia, including China, has been damaged further.
現実には、北朝鮮が核開発を続ける中、中国を含む東アジアの安定はますます損なわれた。

U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874 must be strictly implemented so as not to repeat the same mistake. It will be necessary to cut off the flow of proscribed luxury goods as well as goods and money related to weapons of mass destruction into the country. In this regard, China bears heavy responsibility given that more than half of North Korea's trade is conducted with China. Economic levers must be used fully to resolve problems.
　その轍(てつ)を踏まぬよう、制裁決議１８７４は厳格に履行すべきだ。禁輸対象のぜいたく品や、大量破壊兵器開発に絡むモノやカネは遮断する必要がある。貿易量の過半を握る中国の責任は重い。経済的テコは存分に活用すべきだ。

Leaders of Japan, China and South Korea are scheduled to meet in Beijing on Saturday. We urge Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Wen and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak to come up with effective strategies to resolve problems involving North Korea.
　１０日に開かれる日中韓首脳会談で、鳩山首相、温首相、李明博・韓国大統領は、実効性ある対北朝鮮戦略を練ってもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 7, 2009)
（2009年10月7日01時09分 読売新聞）