Bush Says Colombia Trade Agreement Vital to Security

布什促国会批准与哥自由贸易协定



President Bush says Congress should approve a free-trade agreement with Colombia in recognition of President Alvaro Uribe's fight against violence and drug trafficking. Mr. Bush says failing to approve that agreement this year would embolden U.S. adversaries, including Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.

　

美国总统布什说，国会应该批准与哥伦比亚签署的自由贸易协定，以表示对乌里韦总统制止暴力和毒品走私活动的肯定。布什总统认为，今年如果不批准这一协定，会让包括委内瑞拉总统查韦斯在内的美国的对手们更为嚣张。

President Bush says time is running out for a free-trade agreement with Colombia. If the deal is not approved, Mr. Bush told the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce that it would send a signal to Latin America that the United States can not be trusted to stand by its allies.

　

布什总统说，批准与哥伦比亚的自由贸易协定的时间越来越少。布什总统在出席美国西语裔商会的活动时说，如果协定不能得到批准，那将给拉丁美洲传达一个讯号，即不能相信美国能对盟国信守承诺。

"The Colombia agreement is pivotal to America's national security and economic interests right now," he said. "And it is too important to be held up by politics."

　

布什说：“对美国当前的国家安全和经济利益来说，与哥伦比亚的协定至关重要。而且，这个协定太重要了，不能被政治给耽误了。“

If approved, the deal would eliminate tariffs on more than 80 percent of U.S. exports of industrial and consumer goods and make permanent Colombia's preferential access to the U.S. market.

　

如果这个协定通过，美国8成以上工业和商业产品的出口关税将被免除。哥伦比亚将永久享受进入美国市场的优先准入待遇。

President Bush says Colombia is one of America's closest allies in the hemisphere and President Uribe has proven to be a strong and capable partner in fighting drugs, crime and terror.

　

布什总统说，哥伦比亚是美国在西半球的一个最亲密的盟友。乌里韦总统早就是美国打击毒品、犯罪和恐怖活动的坚定而有能力的合作夥伴。

Mr. Bush says the Colombian leader has spoken-out against anti-Americanism, making hard choices that the president says deserve the admiration and gratitude of the United States.

　

布什总统说，这位哥伦比亚领导人呼吁反对反美主义，还作出过艰难的选择。布什认为这些选择值得美国敬佩和感激。

President Bush is backing President Uribe in his stand-off with Ecuador and Venezuela after Colombian troops attacked rebels based across the border in Ecuador earlier this month. Bogota apologized for the raid, but said it is a necessary part of its struggle against the FARC rebels.

　

布什总统支持哥伦比亚乌里韦总统与厄瓜多尔和委内瑞拉进行对峙。这次对峙发生在哥伦比亚军队本月初袭击了厄瓜多尔境内的反叛武装之后。波哥大已就越境袭击事件道歉，但说这是打击反政府武装哥伦比亚革命武装力量斗争的必要组成部分。

Colombian officials say documents found during the fighting show that Venezuelan President Chavez paid $300 million to support those rebels. Venezuelan officials reject that claim.

　

哥伦比亚官员说，在袭击中发现的文件显示，委内瑞拉总统查韦斯支付了3亿美元，支持哥伦比亚反政府武装。委内瑞拉官员驳斥了这一指控。

President Bush says Colombia is waging an aggressive campaign against terrorists who do not respect national sovereignty or borders. He says President Chavez's praise for the FARC and his decision to send Venezuelan troops to the Colombian border is the latest step in what Mr. Bush calls a disturbing pattern of provocative behavior.

　

布什总统说，哥伦比亚正在发动攻势，打击那些不尊重国家主权和边界的恐怖分子。布什说，委内瑞拉总统查韦斯对哥伦比亚革命武装力量的赞扬和出兵到哥伦比亚边境的决定，再次彰显出查韦斯令人不安的挑衅行为。

"As it tries to expand its influence in Latin America, the regime claims to promote social justice," said Mr. Bush. "In truth, its agenda amounts to little more than empty promises and a thirst for power. It has squandered its oil wealth in an effort to promote its hostile, anti-American vision."

　

布什说：“委内瑞拉当局一边试图扩大在拉丁美洲的影响力，一边又宣扬说在推动社会正义。实际上，委内瑞拉当局的计划不过是些空洞的承诺和对权力的渴望。委内瑞拉当局挥霍其石油财富，为的是推动其充满敌意的反美目标。”

President Bush says one of the most important ways the United States can demonstrate its support for Colombia is approving the free-trade agreement to support security in the Western Hemisphere and ensure a level playing field for U.S. products.

　

布什总统说，美国向哥伦比亚表示支持的一个最重要方式是批准与哥伦比亚的自由贸易协定，来支持西半球的安全和确保美国产品能够在一个公平的市场上竞争。