英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun September 8, 2013
U.S.-Russia differences over Syria overshadow G-20 summit meeting
Ｇ２０シリア問題　攻撃巡る米露対立が際立った（9月7日付・読売社説）

If no military action is taken against Syria, the use of chemical weapons against people—a grave crime—will go unaddressed. However, carrying out military strikes could make the Syrian situation even more chaotic.
　シリアを攻撃しなければ、化学兵器使用という大罪を見過ごすことになる。攻撃すれば、混乱が広がりかねない。

During a summit meeting of the Group of 20 developed and developing economies in St. Petersburg, the United States and Russia, which have expressed conflicting views over a possible response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons, tried various ways to obtain backing for their stances from other countries.
　ロシア・サンクトペテルブルクでの主要２０か国・地域首脳会議（Ｇ２０サミット）は、シリア問題を巡り米露両国が相反する主張を掲げて、多数派工作を行う異例の展開となった。

U.S. President Barack Obama, who has expressed his determination to carry out limited military strikes against the administration of Syrian President Bashar Assad, called the use of chemical weapons “a tragedy” and a violation of international law.
　アサド政権への限定的攻撃を決断しているオバマ米大統領は、化学兵器の使用が「悲劇」であり、国際法に違反していると訴えた。

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who acts as Syria’s protector, countered that there is no evidence that Damascus used chemical weapons.
シリアの後見役であるプーチン露大統領は、政権側による使用を断定する証拠がないと反論した。

The use of chemical arms is clearly unacceptable on humanitarian grounds. Syria’s civil war has taken more than 100,000 lives, and Assad bears the blame for worsening the strife. The international community should not idly stand by.
　化学兵器の使用が人道上許されないのは自明だ。まして、内戦の死者は１０万人を上回る。事態悪化の責任はアサド大統領にある。国際社会は無為ではいられない。

However, Obama has struggled to expand support for his position. France is the only major country that has backed a military response to Syria’s behavior. A joint statement adopted by G-20 leaders did not refer to Syria, and even the prospects of a resolution by the U.S. Congress to authorize the strikes remain uncertain.
　だが、オバマ氏への支持は依然、広がりを欠く。主要国で攻撃参加を表明したのはフランスだけだ。Ｇ２０サミットで採択された首脳宣言にもシリアへの言及はなかった。米議会ですら攻撃承認の決議案を可決するかどうか不透明だ。

Concerns over extremists

This is probably due to the uncertainty about future developments in Syria if military action is taken. A limited military operation could punish Syria for the use of chemical weapons, but it is unlikely to deal a significant blow to the Assad regime. Some are concerned that the military intervention could destabilize the country further if Assad and his loyalists fight back.
　攻撃後、シリア情勢がどうなるのか、見通せないからだろう。限定的攻撃は、化学兵器使用の懲罰にはなっても、アサド政権の軍事力に大きな打撃は与えられまい。政権側の反撃で、情勢が一層不安定になることも懸念される。

The goal of ousting Assad, which Japan, the United States and European countries have sought, is nowhere in sight. As rebels fighting the Assad government remain divided, anti-U.S. Islamist extremists could increase their influence amid the confusion.
　日本や米欧が求めるアサド氏退陣への道筋も見えてこない。反体制派にはまとまりがなく、混乱に乗じ、反米的なイスラム過激派が勢力を増す恐れがある。

How should the international community deal with Syria to solve the problem? The United States has been urged to implement a comprehensive strategy based on both political and military perspectives.
　今後、シリアにどう関与し、事態を収拾するのか。米国に問われているのは、軍事、政治両面にわたる総合的な戦略と言える。

Russia and China have used their vetoes to block U.N. Security Council resolutions condemning the Assad government. But in the meantime, the countries have failed to propose effective measures to end the Syrian civil war. They should fulfill their international responsibility.
　国連安全保障理事会で、ロシアは中国とともに拒否権を行使し、アサド政権への非難決議を葬ってきた。内戦収拾への効果的な方策は示していない。国際的な責任を果たすべきだ。

On the sidelines of the G-20 summit, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a meeting with Obama, during which Abe reportedly said, “The use of chemical weapons is far from acceptable.” Abe also told Obama he fully understands the U.S. president’s position on the Syria issue.
　一方、安倍首相はオバマ大統領との会談で、「化学兵器の使用は断じて許されない」と強調した。さらに「大統領の考えは十分理解している」と、表明した。

Abe’s stance that he would not overlook the use of weapons of mass destruction stands to reason.
　大量破壊兵器の使用は看過しないとする首相の認識は当然だ。

Japan faces a threat of nuclear and chemical weapons possessed by North Korea, which has military ties with Syria. A failure by the international community to warn the Assad government against using chemical weapons again could send the wrong message to Pyongyang.
　日本はシリアと軍事協力関係にある北朝鮮の核と化学兵器の脅威に直面している。国際社会がアサド政権に警告を発し、化学兵器の再使用を防がねば、北朝鮮に誤ったメッセージを送りかねない。

It is vital for Japan to work together with the United States, its only major security ally, and assess changes in the Syrian situation.
　日本は、唯一の同盟国である米国と連携し、情勢の変化を見極めることが大切だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 7, 2013)
（2013年9月7日02時02分 読売新聞）