英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun 6:57 pm, April 10, 2014
Further Russian intervention in Ukrainian crisis will not be tolerated
ウクライナ混乱　これ以上許せない露の介入

Further interventions in which Russia uses force in Ukraine’s domestic situation cannot be tolerated.
　ウクライナ国内へのロシアの力による介入を再び許してはなるまい。

In three eastern Ukraine provinces where many Russian-speaking people live, the beleaguered nation has deteriorated into a state of chaos, as evidenced by the seizure of provincial government buildings by pro-Russian demonstrators.
　ロシア系住民の多いウクライナ東部の３州で、親ロシア派のデモ隊が地方政府庁舎を占拠するなど、混乱が広がっている。

In two of the three provinces, Donetsk and Kharkiv, pro-Moscow activists have declared the creation of “ people’s republics,” both of which are devoid of any legal basis. Protesters in Donetsk against the Ukrainian authorities are reportedly poised to carry out a referendum to consider the possibility of secession from Ukraine.
　ドネツク、ハリコフ両州では、親露派が、法的根拠を欠いた「人民共和国」樹立を宣言した。ドネツクは、独立の是非を問う住民投票も行うという。

These moves are reminiscent of Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in the southern region of Ukraine last month by way of a disputed referendum that ran counter to the Ukrainian Constitution.
There is no doubt that Russia is behind them.
　憲法に反する住民投票を経て、ロシアへ編入されたウクライナ南部のクリミア半島を想起させる動きだ。背後に、ロシアがいるのは間違いない。

Moscow has built up tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border. According to information from the U.S. government, Russian special forces and intelligence service agents have crossed the border into
Ukraine, maneuvering to instigate pro-Russian separatists.
　ロシア軍は、ウクライナとの国境付近に数万人規模の部隊を展開している。特殊部隊や情報機関要員が越境し、親露派を扇動しているとの米政府の情報もある。

Could it be that Russia is trying to set the stage for a military intervention on the pretext of protecting ethnic Russians in the east? Since even the ethnic Russians, as a matter of course, belong to the nation
of Ukraine, Moscow’s self-serving logic is completely unacceptable.
　ロシア系住民の保護を口実として、軍事介入する態勢を整えようとしているのではないか。ロシア系といえども、ウクライナ国民である。そのような身勝手な理屈は認められない。

If the chaos in Ukraine escalates, it will give rise to fears of major clashes between antigovernment protesters and the country’s security forces. Does Moscow truly have no option of acting with restraint
instead of exerting continuous pressure on Ukraine?
　混乱が拡大すれば、デモ隊と治安当局との間で大規模な衝突が発生する恐れもある。ウクライナに圧力をかけ続けるロシアに自制という選択肢はないのだろうか。

Still Ukraine’s Constitution

Russia has come up with a proposal that Ukraine revise its Constitution to shift to a federal system and stipulate military neutrality. The proposal is most likely designed to place the east under Moscow’s
influence by making it independent of the central government through the adoption of a federal system, with the aim of preventing Ukraine from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
　ロシアは、ウクライナが憲法改正を行い、連邦制移行と軍事的中立を定めることを提案している。連邦制で中央政府から自立した東部を影響下に置き、ウクライナの北大西洋条約機構（ＮＡＴＯ）加盟を阻むのが狙いだろう。

Constitutional decisions, however, are in the hands of the Ukrainian people, not Russia.
　だが、憲法を決めるのは、ロシアでなく、その国の国民だ。

In Ukraine, a presidential election will be held in May to launch a full-fledged administration to replace the current interim government. The international community should join forces to ensure that the
election is conducted fairly.
　ウクライナでは来月に大統領選挙が行われ、現在の暫定政府に代わる本格政権が発足する。国際社会は選挙が公正に行われるよう協力する必要がある。

During the period leading up to the presidential election, the interim government must do its best to bring calm to the chaotic state of affairs by reducing unrest on the part of ethnic Russians through such
means as having radical nationalists, who are strongly inclined to be against Moscow, lay down their arms.
　暫定政府は、それまでの間、反露傾向の強い過激な民族主義組織の武装解除などを通じて、ロシア系住民の不安解消に努め、混乱の沈静化を図らねばならない。

Strapped with huge amounts of government debt, Ukraine has seen its fiscal condition become increasingly stringent. The Ukrainian government is urged to address the task of drastic economic reform
to garner confidence from nations set to extend assistance to Ukraine.
　巨額の政府債務を抱え、財政状況も厳しさを増している。大胆な経済改革に取り組み、支援国の信頼を得ることも求められよう。

It is only natural that the United States and the European Union have taken a stiffer line than ever toward Russia.
　米国や欧州連合（ＥＵ）がロシアに対し、態度をこれまで以上に硬化させているのは、当然だ。

Washington has expressed its intention to mete out additional sanctions against Moscow in such key sectors as energy, financial services and mining as long as Russia fails to change its current stance.
　米国は、ロシアが態度を変えなければ、エネルギーや金融、鉱業などの重要分野で、追加制裁を行うと表明している。

The four parties concerned−the United States, Russia, the EU and the Ukrainian interim government−are scheduled to hold foreign ministerial talks next week. We hope to see the talks reach an agreement
on the need to find a way to ease tensions through negotiations.
　米露ＥＵとウクライナ暫定政府の４者は来週、外相会談を開く。交渉で緊張緩和への糸口を探ることを期待したい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 10, 2014)