クリミア危機 住民投票は新たな混乱を呼ぶ

The Yomiuri Shimbun March 14, 2014
Referendum on Crimea joining Russia would only deepen turmoil
クリミア危機　住民投票は新たな混乱を呼ぶ（3月14日付・読売社説）

The Autonomous Republic of Crimea in the southern part of Ukraine, having effectively come under the military control of Russia, is poised to proceed with plans to merge with the Russian Federation through a referendum in the Crimean Peninsula.
　実質的にロシアの軍事支配下にあるウクライナ南部クリミア自治共和国が、住民投票によってロシアへの編入を進めようとしている。

If carried out, the referendum would almost certainly create a critical showdown between Russia, the United States and European countries over the Ukrainian crisis. Moscow should rethink its actions regarding Ukraine.
　実施されれば、ロシアと米国・欧州との対立は決定的だ。ロシアは、ウクライナへの対処方針を見直すべきである。

The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol—a city on the Baltic Sea coast that has a special status in Ukraine—is scheduled to hold a referendum on Sunday on whether to break from Ukraine and join Russia. Given that a large majority of the residents are Russian speakers, the planned merger with Russia is expected to be approved if the local plebiscite takes place.
　クリミア自治共和国とセバストポリ特別市は、編入の是非を問う住民投票を１６日に行う予定だ。住民の多数はロシア系のため、承認されるのは確実と見られる。

The parliament of the autono-mous republic has already adopted a “declaration of independence” in the run-up to its incorporation into Russia. Moscow has thrown its support behind the declaration.
　自治共和国議会は既に、編入の前提となる「独立宣言」を採択しロシア政府は宣言を支持した。

In response, leaders of the Group of Seven major economies declared in a joint statement Wednesday their decision not to recognize the outcome of the referendum, which the G-7 believes would be in violation of Ukraine’s constitution.
　これに対して、日米欧などの主要７か国（Ｇ７）首脳は、共同声明で、住民投票はウクライナ憲法違反であり、投票結果を認めないとの方針を示した。

The constitution of Ukraine stipulates that alterations to Ukraine’s borders require national referendums. It is therefore obvious that any unilateral decision by the autonomous republic on the border issue would be null and void. The argument on the part of the G-7 is absolutely reasonable.
　ウクライナ憲法は、領土変更には国民投票による承認が必要だと定めている。自治共和国だけの決定が無効なのは明らかだ。Ｇ７の主張は当然である。

It is also reasonable that the joint statement points out that the annexation of Crimea by Russia violates international law, including the U.N. Charter, which forbids threatening another country’s territorial integrity through military force.
　声明が、クリミアのロシアへの編入を、他国領土の一体性を武力で脅かすことを禁じている国連憲章などの国際法に違反するとしたのも、もっともだ。

This statement came about because the current problems facing Ukraine come against the background of Russia’s hard-line posture in which it thinks nothing of exercising military force for the sake of severing the Crimean Peninsula from the rest of Ukraine.
　今回の問題の背景に、クリミアをウクライナから切り離すためには軍事力行使をためらわないロシアの強硬姿勢があるからだ。

Battle of sanctions looming

Moscow has indicated the possibility of military intervention in the eastern region of Ukraine in the name of “protecting Russian-speaking residents” there. Since residents of the Crimean Peninsula, including those who speak Russian, are members of the nation of Ukraine, Moscow’s argument must be seen as nothing more than a pretext for sending troops to the autonomous republic.
　ロシアは、「ロシア系住民の保護」を名目に、ウクライナ東部での軍事介入の可能性も示唆している。ロシア系といえどもウクライナ国民であり、派兵のための口実と取られても仕方ないだろう。

The G-7 has proposed prodding Russia to accept three measures: the withdrawal of Russian troops from Crimea, allowing international observers into Ukraine and direct consultations with the provisional Ukrainian government. Moscow should promptly agree to the proposal.
　Ｇ７は、ロシアに対して、軍部隊の撤収と、ウクライナへの国際監視団の受け入れ、ウクライナ暫定政府との直接協議の３点に応じるよう提案している。ロシアは速やかに受け入れるべきだ。

If the referendum is carried out as planned, which could lead to Crimea’s merger with Russia, it would be inevitable for the United States and Europe to impose sanctions on Russia, such as visa bans and asset freezes on influential Russian individuals responsible for Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine.
　このまま住民投票が実施され、編入へと発展すれば、米欧がロシアに対し、要人の渡航禁止や資産凍結などの制裁措置を実際に発動するのは避けられまい。

U.S. President Barack Obama has firmly warned that the international community will be “forced to apply a cost to Russia’s violation of international law and encroachment on Ukraine,” if Moscow continues on its current aggressive path.
　オバマ米大統領は、ロシアが態度を変えない限り、「国際法違反とウクライナ侵犯の代償を払わせる」と強く警告している。

For its part, Moscow has hinted at taking countermeasures against sanctions, giving rise to anxieties about a battle of punitive actions. That would certainly adversely affect the global economy.
　ロシアも対抗措置を取るとしており、制裁合戦になることが懸念される。世界経済にも悪い影響が及ぶのは必至だ。

With the aim of breaking the impasse, foreign ministerial talks are scheduled for Friday between Russia and the United States. The Japanese government has sent Shotaro Yachi, head of the secretariat for the government’s National Security Council, to Moscow.
　事態打開を目指す米露外相会談が１４日に予定される。日本政府は谷内正太郎国家安全保障局長をロシアに派遣した。

Japan must do its best to pursue ways of resolving the crisis by continuing to make diplomatic endeavors along with the United States and European countries.
日本は、米欧と共に外交努力を続け、解決策を模索することが肝要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 14, 2014)
（2014年3月14日01時23分  読売新聞）