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タイ在住11年目、妻はタイ人、娘が2人、養女が2人

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Syria peace talks must prioritize ceasefire for humanitarian purposes
シリア和平協議　人道目的の停戦を優先したい

Peace talks aimed at ending Syria’s civil war have started in Geneva under the mediation of the United Nations, marking the first such talks in about two years.
　シリア内戦の終結に向けた和平協議がジュネーブで始まった。国連の仲介で約２年ぶりだ。

Negotiators will discuss how to implement a road map to establish a new Syrian government that will involve formation of a transitional regime by July and an election in the middle of next year.
　７月までの移行政権樹立と来年半ばの選挙を経て、新政権を発足させる行程表の進め方を話し合う。

But a bumpy road is ahead due to the deep-seated mutual distrust between the administration of President Bashar Assad and antigovernment forces. The confrontation between Russia, which supports the Assad regime, and the United States and other countries, which oppose it, casts a shadow over prospects for the talks. It is essential for the international community to support efforts to pressure the parties involved in the conflict to make concessions.
　アサド政権と反体制派の相互不信は根強く、道のりは険しい。政権を支援するロシアと、反対する米国などの対立も影を落とす。紛争当事者が歩み寄るよう、国際社会が後押しすることが大切だ。

About 400,000 people are reportedly starving in Syria because food and commodity supplies were cut off due to a siege by hostile forces. Top priority should be given to realizing a ceasefire for humanitarian purposes so food and medicine can be delivered.
　シリアには、敵対勢力の包囲で物資の供給が途絶え、飢餓状態に陥った住民が約４０万人いるとされる。食糧や薬などを届ける人道目的の停戦を最優先すべきだ。

The road map was agreed on last November by the United States, Russia and other countries concerned. This is the result of efforts by the international community to curb the influence of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant group and stem the outflow of refugees.
　行程表は昨年１１月、米露など関係国が合意した。過激派組織「イスラム国」の台頭や難民流出に歯止めをかけようとする国際社会の取り組みの成果と言えよう。

What is worrying is that the parties concerned lack the will to implement the road map.
　問題なのは、当事者が履行の意思を欠いていることである。

The Assad regime stepped up air raids against antigovernment forces immediately before the start of peace talks to recapture many strongholds. This was apparently intended to have an advantage in the negotiations.
　アサド政権は和平協議直前に反体制派に対する空爆を強化し、多くの拠点を奪還した。交渉を有利に進める狙いだろう。

The rebel groups’ call for a halt to the airstrikes was natural, but the talks are unlikely to go anywhere as long as they stick to their refusal to enter into substantive negotiations until the air raids cease.
反体制派が空爆停止を求めたのは当然としても、実現まで実質協議を拒むというのでは空転は避けられない。

Persistent efforts vital

Representatives from the Assad regime and the opposition camp do not sit at the same negotiation table, making it inevitable for the U.N. special envoy to go back and forth between the two parties to find points of compromise. Such a situation symbolizes the danger that the talks may collapse. It is indispensable for both sides to hold negotiations tenaciously to ensure results.
　政権側と反体制派が同席せず、国連特使が双方を行き来して接点を探る。この現状は、協議が決裂しかねない危うさを象徴する。双方が粘り強く交渉の成果を積み上げていくことが欠かせない。

If even a partial truce can be agreed upon, it will contribute to building confidence between the two sides. This will also make it possible for the United States and other countries to concentrate on operations to eradicate ISIL.
　部分的な停戦でも合意できれば、信頼が醸成される。米国などが「イスラム国」掃討作戦に集中する効果も期待できる。

ISIL has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s terrorist attack in the suburbs of Damascus that killed more than 70 people. There is a possibility the attack was intended to throw a wrench into the peace talks. Efforts must be made to minimize the impact of the attack.
　首都ダマスカス郊外で７０人超が死亡した１月３１日のテロで「イスラム国」が犯行声明を出した。協議の妨害を図った可能性がある。影響を最小限にとどめたい。

Under the road map, how to deal with Assad will be shelved. Washington has virtually changed its demand for his immediate exit in an agonizing decision aimed at dealing with the increasing threat of ISIL.
　行程表では、アサド大統領の処遇は、棚上げされる。米国が「即時退陣」の主張を事実上、転換したのは、「イスラム国」の脅威増大による苦渋の決断だろう。

Assad, who has ordered the use of chemical weapons in the civil war, cannot be allowed to remain in power, but there seems to be no suitable candidate to succeed him, which is a serious situation.
　内戦で化学兵器を使用したアサド氏の続投は許されないが、退陣後の受け皿がないのは深刻だ。

Lessons must be learned from the series of Arab Spring popular uprisings five years ago, in which long-term autocratic regimes were toppled in Libya and Yemen, producing a power vacuum and triggering civil wars and a spate of terrorism. The United States, Russia and other countries concerned need to cooperate in drawing up a blueprint for establishment of a stable government in Syria.
　５年前の民衆蜂起「アラブの春」でリビアやイエメンの長期独裁政権が倒れた後、権力の空白が生じ、テロや内戦を招いた経験を生かさねばならない。米露など関係国は、シリアの安定政権樹立の青写真作りで協力する必要がある。

Turkey, which has seen its relations with Russia plummet, claims that Russian military aircraft intruded into its airspace again, thereby heightening tensions between the two countries. This is not the time for the two countries to engage in a struggle for regional hegemony.
　ロシアと対立を深めるトルコは「露軍機が再び領空を侵犯した」と主張し、緊張が高まっている。両者は、地域の覇権争いを続けている場合ではあるまい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 2, 2016)