ウクライナ危機 露の軍事介入は容認できない

The Yomiuri Shimbun March 03, 2014
Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine is absolutely unacceptable
ウクライナ危機　露の軍事介入は容認できない（3月3日付・読売社説）

The situation in Ukraine has become increasingly tense. There are absolutely no circumstances under which Russia should be allowed to conduct a military intervention in Ukraine.
　ウクライナ情勢が緊迫の度を増してきた。ロシアの軍事介入は到底認められない。

Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted a motion Saturday to the upper house of Russia’s parliament to exercise Moscow’s military might in the territory of Ukraine, and obtained the permission of the legislature.
　ロシアのプーチン大統領は、ウクライナ領内で軍事力を行使することを上院に提案し、承認を得た。

In seeking parliamentary approval, Putin insisted the plan to send military forces is aimed at “protecting the lives of Russian citizens and military personnel” amid political turmoil until Ukraine is stabilized.
政治が正常化するまで、「ロシアの国民・同胞、ロシア軍要員の安全を守る」のが目的だという。

There are certainly many Russian-speaking residents in Ukraine, which was part of the former Soviet Union. What Russia likely aims to do, however, is put pressure on Ukraine’s new government, which is friendly to the United States and European countries and came into being by ousting a pro-Russia president, with a view to keeping Ukraine in Russia’s sphere of influence.
　旧ソ連の一部だったウクライナにロシア系住民が多いのは確かだ。だが、ロシアの狙いは、親露派の大統領を解任して誕生した親欧米政権に圧力をかけて、ウクライナをロシアの勢力圏につなぎとめておくことではないか。

Russia’s military intervention plans target the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in southern Ukraine.
　ロシアが、軍事介入の準備を進めているのは、ウクライナ南部のクリミア自治共和国だ。

In the Crimea region, residents who identify as Russian account for about 60 percent of the population. The president of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea is friendly to the Russian Federation, and some residents have repeatedly called for Crimea to break off from Ukraine.
　クリミアはロシア系住民が全体の約６割を占める。自治共和国首相も親露派で、住民の間からウクライナからの分離を求める声がかねて上がっていた。

Russia has its key Black Sea Fleet stationed in a naval port on the Black Sea. An airport and other installations in the port’s vicinity have already been seized by Russian troops.
　黒海沿いの軍港にはロシアの黒海艦隊が駐留している。空港などは既にロシア軍兵士によって占拠されている。

Avoid chaos, bloodshed

Should Russia resort to a full-scale military intervention, it would certainly have an impact not only on Crimea but also the entire eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, where many Russians live. Demands from separatists in those areas would intensify all the more, aggravating the chaos.
　ロシアが本格的な軍事介入に踏み切れば、クリミアだけでなく、ロシア系住民の多い東部や南部全体に影響が及ぶのは確実だ。住民の分離要求は一層激しくなり、混乱は拡大しよう。

There are even concerns that the western region of Ukraine, which has tilted in favor of Europe, and the country’s pro-Russia eastern and southern regions could possibly move toward a split.
　親欧州的傾向の強い西部と親露的傾向が強い東部・南部が分裂に向かう可能性すら懸念される。

In 2008, Russia made military inroads into Georgia, whose administration was also friendly to the United States and Europe, under the claim of protecting Russian nationals, incurring condemnation from the international community. Moscow must never repeat the same mistake.
　ロシアは２００８年に、ウクライナ同様の親欧米政権だったグルジアに自国民保護の名目で武力侵攻し、国際的非難を浴びた。同じ過ちを繰り返してはならない。

It is essential for the international community to step up efforts to ensure that Putin stops short of engaging in military intervention.
　国際社会が、軍事介入を思いとどまるよう、プーチン氏への働きかけを強めることが肝要だ。

U.S. President Barack Obama spoke with Putin by telephone on Saturday, expressing his “deep concern” about Russia’s behavior, which he called a “violation of international law.” Although Obama subsequently called for Russia to pull its troops out of Crimea, the talks ended inconclusively.
　米国のオバマ大統領は、電話会談で、プーチン氏に対し、ロシアの行動は「国際法違反だ」として「深い懸念」を表明した。その上で、露軍兵士を撤収させるよう求めたが、物別れに終わった。

An emergency session of the U.N. Security Council was convened on Saturday, during which Russia was strongly criticized by ambassadors of various countries.
　国連安全保障理事会でも緊急会合が開かれ、各国大使からロシアへの強い非難が相次いだ。

The United States and Canada have indicated they are poised to boycott Moscow’s plans to host a Group of Eight economic summit scheduled for June at Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi if Russia intervenes militarily in Ukraine.
米国やカナダは、軍事介入があれば、６月にロシアのソチで行われる主要８か国首脳会議（Ｇ８サミット）をボイコットする構えだ。

The government must carefully consider how to respond to the situation.
　日本政府の対応も問われよう。

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has made a statement on the matter, calling on all parties involved in the situation in Crimea to “exercise maximum restraint and act responsibly by respecting the rule of law and the territorial integrity” of Ukraine.
岸田外相は、「全ての当事者が法の支配と領土の一体性を尊重し、最大限の自制を発揮するよう求める」との談話を発表した。

Putin is strongly urged to listen to voices from the international community and do his utmost to avoid the chaos and bloodshed that could be brought about by military intervention.
　プーチン氏は、国際社会の声に耳を傾け、軍事介入がもたらす混乱と流血を回避すべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 3, 2014)
（2014年3月3日02時12分  読売新聞）