北方四島国後、択捉、色丹、歯舞は日本固有の領土です

Northern islands-Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and Habomai Islands are historically an integral part of Japan.
北方四島国後、択捉、色丹、歯舞は日本固有の領土です。
無法なロシアの実効支配がメドベージェフ大統領の指導のもとで拡大しています。
経済協力、極東の開発協力なんてするべきではないでしょう。
完全になめられてしまっております＾＾。
（スラチャイ記）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 15, 2011)
Don't let territorial dispute just drift along
日露外相会談　「領土」前進へ粘り強く交渉を（2月13日付・読売社説）

During their meeting in Moscow last week, Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, discussed the bilateral territorial dispute over four islands off Hokkaido but failed to reach agreement as they reiterated their countries' conventional stances.
　モスクワで開かれた前原外相とラブロフ露外相との会談は、北方領土問題で双方が従来の主張を繰り返し、平行線をたどったまま終わった。

Japan-Russia relations have become seriously strained since Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited one of the four islands in November. There seems to be little chance of a breakthrough in negotiations over the territorial issue.
　メドベージェフ大統領の北方領土訪問以来、日露関係は険悪さを増し、領土問題での進展は、期待しにくい状態に陥っている。

But letting bilateral relations continue in this chilled state will not benefit either side. We urge both governments to take every opportunity to continue negotiations in a bid to untangle this long-standing issue.
　しかし、このまま放置しては、お互いの利益にはなるまい。あらゆる機会を見つけて協議を続け、解決の糸口を探るべきである。

The Maehara-Lavrov meeting was reportedly tense after beginning without a handshake. Maehara proposed seeking a solution acceptable to both sides based on past accords--including the Tokyo Declaration of 1993--as well as law and justice.
　外相会談は冒頭の握手もなく、厳しい雰囲気だったという。前原氏は、１９９３年の東京宣言など「これまでの合意文書と法と正義」に基づき、双方が受け入れ可能な解決策を探ろうと提案した。

Lavrov, on the other hand, insisted the two countries "should promote discussions without any premise and historical connections." He appeared to be calling on Japan, which insists all four islands be returned, to take a more flexible stance.
　これに対し、ラブロフ氏は「前提なし、歴史的な結びつきなしに議論を進める必要がある」と述べた。４島返還を主張する日本側に柔軟な対応を求めたのだろう。

===

Outcome wasn't surprise

The meeting lasted about two hours, double the length that had been scheduled. However, both sides ended up arguing at cross-purposes over the four islands known as the northern territories in Japan. The only outcome was an agreement to continue negotiations.
　会談は、予定の倍の約２時間続いたが、結局、議論はかみ合わなかった。協議継続が唯一の成果という寂しさだった。

That the meeting would end with such paltry results had been widely anticipated.
　ただ、この結果は、事前に予想された通りでもあった。

In recent years, Russia has been striving to develop oil and natural gas fields in its Far East region. As part of this endeavor, Russia has invested a considerable amount of money and resources in the four disputed islands. Opinion seems to have been growing in Russia that there is no longer any need to make concessions to Japan on the territorial issue.
　ロシアは近年、極東の石油・天然ガス資源開発に力を入れ、その一環として北方領土にも予算を投入している。もはや日本に領土問題で譲歩する必要はない、との考え方が強まっているようだ。

This view has gained traction following a string of visits to the islands by Russian government leaders following Medvedev's visit to Kunashiri Island.
　大統領に続いて政府要人が相次いで北方領土を訪問したのも、そうした姿勢の表れだろう。

The government should not sit back and allow the "Russianization" of the northern territories. Tokyo must devise a concrete strategy to tackle this issue, rather than merely lobbing inflammatory insults at Russia as Prime Minister Naoto Kan did when he recently called Medvedev's trip "an unforgivable outrage."
　日本としては、北方領土の「ロシア化」をただ傍観するわけには行くまい。菅首相のように大統領の訪問を「許し難い暴挙」と声高に非難するだけでなく、具体的な戦略を立てて臨むべきだ。

===

Flow-on effects

In a meeting of the Japan-Russia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Issues held after the foreign ministerial talks, the two countries agreed to set up a roundtable panel consisting of government officials and executives of major businesses to promote bilateral economic cooperation. The panel is expected to discuss modernizing Russian production facilities and development in the Russian Far East.
　一方、外相会談後の貿易経済政府間委員会では、日露の経済協力について、官民による新たな「円卓会議」の設置を合意した。ロシアの生産設備の近代化や極東開発などを協議するという。

Japan's direct investment in Russia has been rising steadily in recent years. Russia, for its part, is hungry for Japan's cooperation in high technology and other fields.
　日本からロシアへの直接投資額はこのところ、右肩上がりで増えている。ロシア側も、日本からのハイテク分野などでの協力に期待を強めている。

We hope this bilateral economic cooperation will eventually lead to improved diplomatic and security ties. This would also help keep China in check.
　日露が経済を突破口に、外交・安全保障でも関係を強化することは望ましいことだ。中国に対抗するうえでも必要だろう。

However, economic cooperation should not be allowed to charge ahead while the territorial dispute is swept under the rug.
　だが、領土問題を置き去りにしての協力であってはならない。

The government must persistently remind Moscow that economic development can be taken to the next level only through the conclusion of a peace treaty that establishes a genuine relationship of trust.
　平和条約を結び、日露間に真の信頼関係が生まれることが、両国の一層の経済発展につながることを、粘り強くロシア側に訴えて行く必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 13, 2011)
（2011年2月13日01時24分 読売新聞）