日露２プラス２ 「領土」への信頼を醸成したい

The Yomiuri Shimbun November 4, 2013
Japan-Russia 2-plus-2 meeting likely to advance northern territories talks
日露２プラス２　「領土」への信頼を醸成したい（11月3日付・読売社説）

Enhancement of security cooperation between Japan and Russia will greatly contribute to peace and stability in East Asia. We expect confidence building between the two countries to lead to solving the dispute over the Russian-held northern territories.
　日露が安全保障協力を強化することは、東アジアの平和と安定に寄与する。互いの信頼を醸成することで北方領土問題の解決にもつなげたい。

Tokyo and Moscow held their first “two-plus-two” meeting of foreign and defense ministers in Tokyo on Saturday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to hold the meeting during their summit talks in April.
　日露両政府が東京で、初の外務・防衛閣僚協議（２プラス２）を開催した。４月に安倍首相とプーチン大統領が首脳会談で合意したものだ。

It is the third two-plus-two framework for Japan following those with the United States and Australia. The two-plus-two framework has propelled Japan-Russia relations to a new phase.
　日本にとって、米、豪に続く３か国目の２プラス２である。日露関係は新たな段階に入った。

The two nations agreed at the meeting to develop search-and-rescue exercises in the Far East, and conduct joint antipiracy and counterterrorism exercises in seas off Somalia between the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Russian Navy.
　協議では、海上自衛隊とロシア海軍が、極東で捜索・救難訓練を拡充し、ソマリア沖ではテロや海賊対策のための共同訓練を実施することで一致した。

Meanwhile, China is ramping up its efforts to become a maritime power and taking a hard-line stance in waters around the Senkaku Islands and the South China Sea. The country has also taken an interest in the Arctic, irritating Russia. In that sense, a closer security partnership of Japan and Russia is also significant as a means to put pressure on China.
　「海洋強国化」を加速する中国は、尖閣諸島周辺や南シナ海で強硬姿勢を示している。北極圏にも関心を抱き、ロシアは神経をとがらせている。日露が安全保障で緊密に連携するのは、中国への牽制(けんせい)という観点からも意義がある。

Besides, North Korea’s nuclear and missile ambitions are common problems for Russia and Japan. Improvement of mutual communications between them will serve their national interests.
　北朝鮮のミサイル・核も共通の課題だ。意思疎通を良くすることは双方の国益に合致しよう。

Japan and Russia also agreed to launch bilateral cybersecurity talks to counter cyber-attacks, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Japan has already held cybersecurity talks with the United States. Deepening discussions with Russia is essential to establish international rules on cybersecurity.
　日露は、高度化するサイバー攻撃に対応するため、安全保障協議を新設することでも合意した。
　日本は既に米国と「サイバー対話」を実施している。国際ルールの確立に向けて、ロシアと議論を深めることも欠かせない。

The Russian side has also shown its understanding for specific Japanese security policies such as Abe’s idea of making Japan a proactive contributor to peace and a planned revision of the nation’s National Defense Program Guidelines.
　安倍政権が掲げる「積極的平和主義」の理念や、防衛大綱の見直しなど具体的な安全保障政策にロシア側は理解を示したという。

Further dialogue needed

However, the Russian side expressed strong concern about a missile defense system being advanced jointly by Japan and the United States because, it said, the system “could disrupt the strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific region.” This concern is related to Moscow’s worries that its nuclear deterrence could be undermined with the missile defense program the United States is developing in Europe.
　一方でロシアは、日米が進めるミサイル防衛には「アジア太平洋地域の戦略的バランスを崩す」と強い懸念を表明した。米国が欧州で進めるミサイル防衛計画で、ロシアの核抑止力が弱まることへの警戒感と連動するからだ。

It is necessary to deepen mutual understanding by having the two countries’ defense ministers exchange visits. Russian military planes intruded in Japanese airspace in February and August. Tokyo and Moscow should have more talks to avoid a dangerous confrontation.
　防衛相の相互訪問によって、一層理解を深める必要がある。２月と８月にはロシア機による領空侵犯があった。危険な衝突を防ぐためにも対話を重ねるべきだ。

Prior to the two-plus-two talks, the Japanese and Russian foreign ministers held a meeting and agreed to hold vice-foreign-ministerial talks early next year to discuss issues related to the northern territories. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to visit Russia next spring.
　２プラス２に先立つ日露外相会談では、北方領土問題について話し合う外務次官級協議を来年早々に開くことで一致した。来春には岸田外相が訪露する。

His Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, said at a press conference that a dialogue should be held in an environment in which participants could be constructive and unemotional without making challenging remarks. It is true that talks on the northern territories will never advance if Japan-Russian relations deteriorate.
　ラブロフ外相は記者会見で、「対話は建設的で感情的にならず、挑発的発言を避ける環境で行われるべきだ」と語った。日露関係が険悪になれば、北方領土は動かないのは確かである。

As Abe said, negotiations on the northern territories have to be advanced in the process of expanding Japan-Russia cooperation to a wider variety of fields. The two-plus-two framework will be a basis for the territorial negotiations, which face a bumpy road ahead.
　安倍首相が言うように、日露協力を多様な分野に広げる中で、領土交渉も進展させる必要がある。交渉の道のりは険しいが、２プラス２はその土台になるだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 3, 2013)
（2013年11月3日01時35分  読売新聞）