VOAの音声はこちらからどうぞ。
パレスチナが「国家」としての国連への加盟申請を提出しました。様々な政治的思惑がある中、大多数の加盟国が賛同する中でアメリカは反対を表明しています。
アメリカは拒否権の発動も辞さないとしています。その結果が導くことは、アメリカが「イスラエル寄り」であることが鮮明に世界に映しだされることでしょう。
VOAのニュース記事の要約です。
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パレスチナ自治政府のアッバス議長は、国連加盟申請に関して国連総会で演説を行いました。
「何十年もの植民的な支配を経て、ついにパレスチナの勇気と誇りある国民が、地球上の全ての人々と同様に主権と領土の自由を持って生きていく時がきました」
アッバス議長は1969年の国境協定に基づいて正式国家として認めるよう国連に申請しました。
これに対して、イスラエルのネタニヤフ首相は、こう演説しました。
「本当の平和は国連を通じてではなく、二国間の交渉によってしか達成されない。しかし今に至るまでパレスチナは和平交渉を拒否してきている。イスラエルは和平を望んでいるのに、パレスチナはそれを望んでいないのだ」
安全保障理事会が結論を出すのには数週間かかると思われ、それは更なる和平交渉の機会となるかもしれません。またパレスチナを投票権を持たないオブザーバーとして認める選択肢も生じるかもしれません。
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今回のパレスチナの動きは、非暴力で独裁体制を打倒した「アラブの春」が後押ししているとも言われています。イスラエルとの和平交渉が遅々として進まない中、イスラエル寄りのアメリカが仲介役をしていることへの不満、不信が募ったとも言われています。
さて、振り返って我が日本の方針は？それは明確でしょう。全てにおいてアメリカ追随が方針と思われますので「事態を見守る」そしてアメリカの方針を支持することでしょう。
結果としてはそれで構わないかもしれません。しかし一つの独立国家として「日本はどう思うのか、どうしたいのか」という意見を述べなければ、国際的地位は危ういものとなるでしょう。
Palestinians brought their calls for independence to the United Nations this week. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke to the General Assembly on Friday.
MAHMOUD ABBAS: “I say the time has come for my courageous and proud people, after decades of displacement and colonial occupation and ceaseless suffering, to live like other peoples of the earth, free in a sovereign and independent homeland.”
Mr. Abbas asked the United Nations to admit Palestine as a full member based on nineteen sixty-seven borders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke a short time after the Palestinian leader.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: “The truth is that we cannot achieve peace through UN resolutions but only through direct negotiations between the parties. The truth is that so far the Palestinians have refused to negotiate. The truth is that Israel wants peace with a Palestinian state but the Palestinians want a state without peace.”
The UN Security Council could take weeks to consider the request for full membership. That would give more time for diplomatic efforts to restart peace talks. The Palestinians could also seek more recognition in the General Assembly as a non-voting observer state.
Another big story this week: top American officials publicly linked Pakistan’s main intelligence agency to attacks against American targets. The United States’ top military officer accused Pakistan of supporting attacks by the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network.
Admiral Mike Mullen spoke at a Senate hearing; he retires next week as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He said Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency supported the truck bombing by Haqqani operatives on a NATO base on September tenth. He said the ISI also supported an attack on the American Embassy in Kabul two days later.
AP
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta looks as Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, front, speaks Tuesday near Washington.
Admiral Mullen said the Haqqani network has deep ties to the Pakistani government.
MIKE MULLEN: “The Haqqani network, for one, acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan’s internal services intelligence agency.”
He says the United States should still try to work with Pakistan. But he warned that the relationship — and the future of Pakistan — could be in danger.
MIKE MULLEN: “By exporting violence, they’ve eroded their internal security and their position in the region. They’ve undermined their international credibility and threatened their economic well-being. Only a decision to break with this policy can pave the road to a positive future for Pakistan.”
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also spoke at the Senate hearing.
LEON PANETTA: “We cannot allow terrorists to have safe havens from which they launch attacks and kill our forces. We cannot allow that to happen, and we have to bring pressure on the Pakistanis to do their part to confront that issue.”
Relations have worsened since the killing of Osama bin Laden at his home in Pakistan earlier this year.
Michael O’Hanlon is with the Brookings Institution in Washington.
MICHAEL O’HANLON: “I think Pakistan is just going to have to wake up and smell the roses that this is not consistent with an ongoing relationship in which the United States provides three and a half billion dollars a year in aid.”
Jeffrey Dressler works for the Institute for the Study of War, another research group. He says Pakistan needs the help of militant groups to limit the possible influence of India in Afghanistan.
JEFFREY DRESSLER: “They know that they would lose in a conventional war with India, and so, rather than trying to compete on that front, which they cannot, they will instead use extremist proxy groups that can sort of wage a guerrilla war.”
On Friday, the White House press secretary said Pakistan must break any links it has with the Haqqani network.
Pakistani officials reject the American accusations. They say Pakistan is cooperating with the United States against militants. Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said the United States risks losing Pakistan as a partner if it continues to make such accusations. She spoke on Pakistan’s Geo TV.
HINA RABBANI KHAR: “You will lose an ally, you cannot afford to alienate Pakistan, you cannot afford to alienate the Pakistani people. If you are choosing to do so, it will be at their own cost.”
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