シリア混迷 周辺諸国の不安定化も心配だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 24, 2012)
Syria's civil war could destabilize neighboring countries
シリア混迷　周辺諸国の不安定化も心配だ（8月23日付・読売社説）

With Syria's civil war deepening, there appears to be little chance for a ceasefire in the conflict. There are concerns the civil war could even spill over into neighboring countries.
　内戦の泥沼化で、停戦への機運は生まれそうにない。シリアの混乱が周辺諸国に拡大する事態すら懸念される。

Journalist Mika Yamamoto was shot dead earlier this week in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo while covering the conflict.
　北部の主要都市アレッポでは、取材中の日本人ジャーナリスト山本美香さんが、銃撃を受けて死亡した。

Yamamoto's death highlighted the reality that urban districts, home to ordinary Syrians, have become battlefields between government forces and rebels. The United Nations estimates more than 18,000 people have been killed since the uprising began in March 2011.
　一般市民が暮らす市街地が、政府軍側と反体制派の戦場と化している。山本さんの死は、そうした現実を浮き彫りにした。国連推計で、紛争発生以来の犠牲者数は１万８０００人を超えた。

Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, who served as the joint U.N.-Arab League special envoy, failed to broker a ceasefire and members of the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria have left the country.
　国連とアラブ連盟の共同特使を務めたアナン前国連事務総長の停戦調停は、失敗に終わった。国連停戦監視団も撤退した。

Former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi has been named as Annan's replacement. However, it is unlikely he will be able to fulfill his role, considering that the U.N. Security Council has been hamstrung as the United States and other Western countries are at odds with Russia and China over possible solutions.
　アナン氏の後任の調停役にはブラヒミ元アルジェリア外相が就くが、米欧と露中の対立で国連安全保障理事会が機能不全に陥っている以上、役目は果たせまい。

With no end in sight in the country's civil war, it is inevitable the bloodshed will continue to worsen.
　内戦に歯止めがかからず、流血の拡大は不可避である。

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Sectarian conflicts emerging

Rebels have expanded their hold over more areas of Syria, while government forces have been trying to maintain control of major cities by mobilizing all of their overwhelming forces.
　シリアでは、反体制派が支配地域を広げる一方、政権側は、圧倒的な戦力を総動員して、主要都市の維持を図っている。

However, more and more officials in President Bashar Assad's inner circle have been defecting, including the prime minister who fled the country earlier this month.
　だが、政権中枢からの離反は相次いでいる。今月上旬には、首相が国外に逃亡した。

Despite these developments, Syrian forces still stand by Assad mainly because members of the Alawite community--an offshoot of Shiite Islam that serves as a power base for the president--hold key military positions.
　それでも軍がアサド大統領を見限らないのは、大統領の権力基盤であるイスラム教アラウィ派の人脈が、軍の要職に配置されていることが大きい。

The Alawites, which are a minority in Syria, have been ruling the Sunni majority population and the civil war has increasingly taken on shades of sectarian violence.
　シリアのアラウィ派は、人口では少数派ながら、多数派のスンニ派住民を支配してきた。
　内戦は、両派の宗派紛争の様相を強めている。

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Refugees becoming a burden

Worrisome is the ever growing possibility that Syria's deepening turmoil could destabilize the entire Middle East.
　懸念されるのは、シリアの混迷が深まることで、中東地域全体の不安定化が現実味を増してきていることだ。

Earlier this week, several people were killed in neighboring Lebanon as Alawite and Sunni militia exchanged gunfire. The fighting shadowed the pattern of Syria's civil war.
　隣国レバノンで今週、アラウィ派とスンニ派の民兵の間で銃撃戦が発生し、死者が出た。シリア内戦の構図が波及したと言える。

Turkey, to the north of Syria, has been watchful to see how Kurds in the country react to the civil war, as it could reignite the Kurdish independent movement in Turkey.
　北隣のトルコは、シリア内でのクルド人の動向に神経をとがらせる。トルコ内のクルド独立運動を刺激しかねないからだ。

The civil war has created more than 170,000 Syrian refugees, according to the United Nations. Accommodating them has placed a great burden on neighboring countries.
　国連統計で１７万人を超えた大量の難民流出も、周辺諸国の重荷となっている。

Syria's neighbors face their own possible conflicts. The situation could further deteriorate if Syria distributes the chemical weapons it is believed to possess to terrorist groups and other organizations.
　シリアを取り巻く国がそれぞれに火種を抱える。シリアが、保有しているとされる化学兵器をテロ組織などに拡散させれば、事態はさらに深刻化するだろう。

Russia bears a heavy responsibility as it has long supported the Assad regime. It should work together with the United States and other Western countries to put strong pressure on Syria for an immediate ceasefire.
　これまで、アサド政権を一貫して支えてきたロシアの責任は重大だ。米欧と協力し、停戦の即時実施へ、シリア側に強い圧力をかけるべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 23, 2012)
（2012年8月23日01時45分 読売新聞）