The UN Assembly: Speak Like the Major Power You Are

Published in Kyoto Shimbun
(Japan) on 22 September 2017
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Stephanie Chiu. Edited by Margaret Dalzell.
It’s difficult to imagine that it would be appropriate for the “leader” of a great country to stir up ridicule and confrontation in such a critical situation.

President Trump gave his first speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Trump ridiculed Kim Jong Un, the chairman of North Korea’s Workers’ Party of Korea, by calling him “Rocket Man,” and warned that “if [the United Nations] is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” He also touched upon North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens, even criticizing it as a “depraved regime.”

Throughout the assembly, representatives of each country severely criticized North Korea, one after another.

Trump also urged each country to support a United Nations decision to work toward stronger sanctions. This sends the message that the United States itself will continue to apply the maximum amount of pressure.

Each and every member of the United Nations has demanded that North Korea cease its reckless development of nuclear missiles. Despite that, calling for “total destruction” is not right. Isn’t “Rocket Man” a phrase more suitable for Twitter instead of a United Nations assembly?

North Korea and its state media continue to provoke the international community. However, the leader of the strongest country in the world does not need to sink to its level.

Crude language can affect the mentality of the citizens in the countries involved. Isn’t it possible that communicating like this might lead to a military conflict? Like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that she is "against threats of this kind,” each country is raising concern.

Trump has also criticized Iran as a “murderous regime.” On top of that, he also called the Iran nuclear deal, which the United States, the European Union and Russia, among other participants, entered into 2015, “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions,” implying that he would decertify it.

Iran also made compromises in response to the incredible pressure of a crude oil embargo and economic sanctions. The United States was also a central figure in this deal.

If we want North Korea to obey the demands of the international community, then shouldn’t we pay attention to the Iran deal, too?

The White House is acting in line with Trump’s speech, employing diplomacy that puts the United States first. No matter how strong one’s words are, it’s difficult to gain sympathy when they’re grounded in a doctrine that puts one’s own country first.

At the United Nations, signing has begun on an existing nuclear weapons ban, which is the result of hard work conducted at numerous multinational conferences. The treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons is expected to take effect as early as next year.

I want Japan to participate in this treaty because it is the one country that has been the victim of a nuclear bomb.

I want to make sure that the world does not only change as a result of scorn and abuse.


国連総会演説  大国らしい言葉遣いを

 危機的な状況にあるとはいえ、あざけりや対立をあおるのが、「偉大な国」の指導者にふさわしいとは思えない。
 国連総会の一般討論で米国のトランプ大統領が就任後初めての演説を行った。
 トランプ氏は、北朝鮮の金正恩・朝鮮労働党委員長を「ロケットマン」とあざけり、「自国と同盟国が防衛を迫られれば完全に破壊するしか選択肢はなくなる」と警告した。拉致問題などにも触れ、「ならず者政権」とも批判した。
 国連総会では、北朝鮮に対し各国の代表から厳しい批判が相次いでいる。
 トランプ氏も、北朝鮮への国連制裁決議を着実に履行するよう各国に強く求めた。米国としても最大級の圧力をかけ続けるというメッセージを発した。
 北朝鮮に対し無謀な核・ミサイル開発から撤退するよう強く求めることは、加盟国の一致した要求だ。
 それにしても、「完全破壊」とは穏当ではない。「ロケットマン」は、ツイッターならまだしも、国連で発するのはいかがか。
 北朝鮮も国営メディアで挑発的な言葉を発し続けている。だが、世界最強の国の指導者が同じレベルに立つ必要はない。
 荒っぽい言葉は関係国の人々の心理にも影響する。言葉の応酬が偶発的な武力衝突を招かないか。ドイツのメルケル首相が「この類いの威嚇には反対だ」と述べるなど、各国から懸念の声が上がっている。
 トランプ氏はイランに対しても「残忍な体制」と批判した。その上で、米欧ロなどとイランが2015年に締結した核合意を「最悪の一方的な取引」と破棄を示唆した。
 イラン核合意は、原油禁輸や金融制裁などの圧力を強めた結果、イランも一定の譲歩を行った側面がある。米国もそれを主導した。
 北朝鮮に対し国際社会の求めに従うべきというなら、イラン核合意も尊重すべきではないか。
 米ホワイトハウスはトランプ氏の演説を「米国第一外交」としている。自国第一主義に基づくなら言葉を強めても共感は得られまい。
 同じ国連本部では、核兵器禁止条約の署名手続きが始まった。
 多国間協議の努力の成果だ。来年にも発効する見込みという。
 日本も唯一の戦争被爆国として条約に関与してほしい。
 世界を動かすのは、あざけりや罵倒ではないことを確認したい。
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