US Vice President Calls for More NATO Support in Afghanistan

切尼突访阿富汗强调北约部队重要

　



Mounting concern about the resurgent Taliban and the Afghanistan economy have prompted the U.S. vice president to make a surprise visit there. Dick Cheney is calling the continuing presence of NATO forces in Afghanistan vital for the country's future.

　

美国副总统切尼突然访问阿富汗，原因是对塔利班反叛分子和阿富汗经济日益增加的担忧。切尼说，北约军队继续在阿富汗驻扎对阿富汗的未来非常重要。

In an unannounced trip to Kabul, his fourth visit to Afghanistan as vice president, Dick Cheney is asking NATO countries to make an even stronger commitment to the war-ravaged country.

　

切尼对喀布尔的访问事先没有宣布。这是他作为副总统对阿富汗的第四次访问，切尼要求北约国家在战乱的阿富汗做出更大的努力。

NATO members are considering whether to send more troops to Afghanistan at a time when the anti-terrorism campaign is becoming more unpopular for European politicians. But the U.S. vice president says the United States and NATO need to maintain sufficient forces in Afghanistan to counter a resurgent Taliban and al-Qaida.

　

就在北约成员考虑是否向阿富汗派遣更多的军队之际，反恐行动越来越不受到欧洲官员的欢迎。但是，切尼说，美国和北约需要在阿富汗保持足够的军队，对抗塔利班反叛分子和基地组织。

"But ultimately security in Afghanistan will depend on the ability of the Afghan people to provide adequate forces that are well trained and well equipped," he said.

　

切尼说：“但是，最终阿富汗的安全将依靠阿富汗人民的能力，靠他们来提供足够的经过良好培训和装备精良的军队。”

Standing besides Cheney at the heavily guarded presidential palace, the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, said NATO's presence is needed until Afghanistan is ready to protect itself.

　

阿富汗总统卡尔扎伊在严密防守的总统官邸站在切尼的旁边。他说，在阿富汗为自我防卫做好准备之前，阿富汗需要北约军队驻扎在那里。

"As we get stronger with our own institutions, so we lessen the responsibility of the international community in defending Afghanistan and fighting terrorism," he said.

　

卡尔扎伊说：“随著我们的机构不断加强，我们可以减轻国际社会的责任，保护阿富汗，打击恐怖主义。”

Afghanistan has 70,000 troops of its own, which are considered to be relatively well-trained, but the Defense Ministry says many thousands more are needed. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force has 43,000 troops in Afghanistan.

　

阿富汗本国有7万名被认为是相对来说受过良好训练的军队，但是，国防部说，阿富汗仍然需要增加几千名军队。北约领导的国际安全援助力量在阿富汗有4万3千多人。

The Taliban, routed by U.S.-led and Afghan forces following the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, have been able to regroup.

　

塔利班已经进行重新整编，美国领导的联军和阿富汗军队在2001年美国遭到恐怖袭击以后击败了塔利班。

The issue of dispatching more troops will be discussed at a NATO summit next month in Romania.

　

北约下个月在罗马尼亚召开的峰会将讨论向阿富汗派遣更多军队的问题。

Cheney also expressed confidence that the new democratically-elected coalition government being formed in Pakistan will remain allied with Washington in the fight against terrorism.

　

切尼表示，他相信，在巴基斯坦组建的民主选举出的联合政府将继续同华盛顿联合打击恐怖主义。

The vice president told reporters he is certain the incoming politicians in Islamabad understand that al-Qaida forces along the Afghan-Pakistani border are also looking to target them.

　

切尼告诉记者，他确信伊斯兰堡的新政府的官员理解，在阿富汗和巴基斯坦边境的基地组织的武装仍然把他们当作袭击的目标。

"We believe, as I think most people do, that a government has an obligation to control its sovereign territory, to make certain that territory does not become a safe haven or sanctuary, especially for terrorist groups intending to do harm to others," he added. "And I would expect that Pakistan will certainly fulfill that obligation."

　

切尼说：“我们和大多数人都认为，政府有义务控制主权领土，有义务确保国家的领土不会成为任何人的避风港或庇护所，特别是那些意图伤害其他人的恐怖分子组织的庇护所。我希望巴基斯坦能够履行那些义务。”

That was a reference to previous Afghan complaints that Pakistan has allowed terrorists to take refuge in the mountainous border region.

　

这是指阿富汗前一段时间抱怨的巴基斯坦允许恐怖分子在多山的边境地区避难。