Ukrainian Declaration: Unity Is G-7’s Top Priority

Published in Chunichi Shimbun
(Japan) on 6 June 2014
by Editorial (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Courtney Coppernoll. Edited by Bora Mici.
At the latest Group of 7 summit, member countries welcomed the new government of Ukraine and renewed their criticisms of Russia's annexation of Crimea. On June 6, a ceremony was held to commemorate the invasion of Normandy. I want to see these events as turning points for a new international order.

Prior to the summit meeting, President Obama visited Warsaw, where he attended a commemoration of 25 years of democracy in Poland with Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's president-elect. 

Lech Wałęsa, former chairman of the Solidarity trade union (federation), also participated in the event. In his speech, Obama strongly criticized China and Russia. He stated, "On the same day 25 years ago that Poles were voting here, tanks were crushing peaceful democracy protests in Tiananmen Square on the other side of the world." Speaking of Russia's annexation of Crimea, he said, "How can we allow the dark tactics of the 20th century to define this new century?" He also praised Ukraine. "The Ukrainians of today are the heirs of Solidarity," he said.

On the one hand, a diplomatic declaration was adopted in Brussels. In addition to showing support for Ukraine, the declaration states that the annexation of Crimea by Russia is in violation of international law. Although such statements were criticized, the G-7 maintained that they "stand ready to intensify targeted sanctions and to consider significant additional restrictive measures to impose further costs on Russia should events so require."

On the other hand, starting with the Senkaku Islands, there is also ongoing tension in Asia that China's aggressive behavior is causing. The G-7 delegates clearly recognized this problem, stating they "are deeply concerned by tensions in the East and South China Sea," and that they "oppose any unilateral attempt by any party to assert its territorial or maritime claims through the use of intimidation, coercion or force." However, unlike Russia's annexation of Crimea, the G-7's comments on Asia avoided naming China directly. At the same time, Europe and the U.S. are dealing with their own domestic concerns.

The Obama administration should be demonstrating leadership on these international issues, but it cannot put serious effort into foreign diplomacy while it is so focused on preparations for the fall midterm elections. Likewise, in the European Union, "integration skeptics" came out on top at European Parliament elections. Such a turn of events could very well shake the foundation of communal diplomacy in Europe. We cannot deny that these domestic situations in Europe and the U.S. are visible to the Russians.

Seventy years have passed since the invasion of Normandy, an event that led to the end of World War II. The commemoration of this event on June 6 in France became a chance for diplomacy between the heads of leading countries. As Russia was also a victorious nation in World War II, President Putin planned to attend the commemoration.

After the war, the international community agreed on some general principles to abide by: freedom, democracy, respect for sovereignty and the maintenance of territorial integrity. Additionally, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe was built and has served as the foundation for European order since the Cold War era.

If Russia is to pride itself on being a victorious nation, then it should also show moderation in adhering to the principles for international order that were laid out and agreed to by those victorious nations, including itself. In order for those principles to be considered valid, it's also a top priority for Japan to be included alongside Europe and the United States, and not just in name.


ウクライナ声明 G7の結束が先決だ

先進七カ国(G7)首脳会議はウクライナ新政権を歓迎し、ロシアのクリミア併合をあらためて非難した。六日はノルマンディー上陸作戦の記念式典が開かれる。新たな国際秩序の節目としたい。

 オバマ米大統領は、サミットに先立って訪れたワルシャワで、ポロシェンコ・ウクライナ次期大統領らとともにポーランド民主化二十五周年の記念式典に出席した。

 ワレサ元連帯議長も参加するなか演説に臨んだオバマ氏は、「二十五年前、東欧の先陣を切って自由選挙が行われたこの日、地球の反対側では天安門広場の平和的集会が戦車で粉砕された」「クリミア併合で取られた二十世紀の暗黒の戦術が今世紀を決定付けるようなことがあってはならない」などと中国、ロシアを厳しく批判、「今日のウクライナは連帯の継承者だ」と称賛した。 

 一方、ブリュッセルで採択された外交声明は、ウクライナ支持を鮮明にするとともに、クリミア併合を国際法違反として非難はしたものの、具体的には「必要に応じて制裁の強化、追加措置を取る用意がある」との表現にとどまった。

 尖閣諸島をはじめ、中国の挑発行為による緊張が続くアジア情勢についても、「東シナ海、南シナ海での緊張への懸念」「一方的な武力行使による領土主張に反対」を明記しつつも、名指しは避けた。背景には欧米が抱えるそれぞれの内部事情がある。

 指導力を発揮すべきオバマ政権は、秋の中間選挙を控えて外交政策に本腰を入れることができない状況にある。欧州連合(EU)も欧州議会選挙で統合懐疑派が躍進し共通外交の足元も揺るぎがちだ。欧米のお家事情がロシアに見透かされている現状は否めまい。

 第二次大戦を終結に導いたノルマンディー上陸作戦から七十周年の記念式典が六日、フランスで開かれ、主要国首脳の外交の場となる。戦勝国の立場としてプーチン大統領も出席する予定だ。

 戦後の国際社会は自由、民主制、主権尊重、領土保全などを諸原則としている。その上に築かれた欧州安保協力機構(OSCE)体制は、冷戦時代以来の欧州秩序の基盤でもある。

 ロシアが戦勝国としての地位を自負するのなら、自らも含めて合意された国際的秩序の原則を順守する節度は示すべきだろう。この基本原則を確認させるためにも、日本も含めた欧米諸国の名ばかりではない結束が先決だ。
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