NATO Summit Focuses on Afghanistan, Alliance Enlargement

北约峰会讨论阿富汗及新成员问题

　



The NATO summit has convened in formal session in Bucharest, Romania. Members are focusing on military operations in Afghanistan and how and when to enlarge the alliance.

　

北大西洋公约组织在罗马尼亚首都布加勒斯特举行正式会议。参加会议的北约成员国正在集中讨论在阿富汗的军事行动以及如何扩大北约的问题。

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer called the summit to order, with a tribute to alliance troops killed in the line of duty.

　

北约组织秘书长夏侯雅伯在会议开始的时候，要求这次高峰会议的与会者肃静，向在战斗中丧生的北约组织军人致意：

"May I now ask you to join me in a moment of silence to pay homage to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by laying down their life in the service of our alliance," he said.

　

“现在，我谨请各位跟我一道，为所有那些在从事北约联盟使命的时候献出生命的人默哀致敬。”

A line of 26 soldiers -- each wearing the uniform of a NATO-member nation -- walked into the room. As the heads of state and government stood in silence, a lone trumpeter played a tribute to the dead.

　

来自北约成员国的26位身著各自国家军装的军人步入会议厅。参加会议的各国元首肃立默哀，一位号手为死者吹起号角。

President Bush has described Afghanistan as the most daring and ambitious mission in the history of the alliance. NATO officials say there is consensus among member countries that this mission must succeed.

　

布什总统表示，在阿富汗的行动是北约联盟有史以来最大胆、最雄心勃勃的行动。北约组织官员说，北约成员国有一个共识，这就是必须在阿富汗取得成功。

One by one, member countries are announcing plans to step up their commitment.

　

北约成员国一个接一个地宣布计划加强它们对阿富汗行动的承诺。

France is sending a battalion of troops to eastern Afghanistan to free up American marines, who will be redeployed in the troubled south. Canada currently has the largest NATO contingent in the south and has threatened to pull its forces out, if no reinforcements are sent.

　

法国即将派遣一批部队前往阿富汗东部地区接替那里的美国海军陆战队，以便让他们可以部署到动乱的阿富汗南部地区。加拿大目前在阿富汗南部地区的部队人数是北约当中最多的。早些时候，加拿大表示，假如得不到增援，加拿大就要撤军。

But there is expected to be far less unity at the Bucharest summit on Georgia and Ukraine's bid to be put on a path to NATO membership. A NATO spokesman says it appears they will not get the unanimous vote required.

　

但是，在格鲁吉亚和乌克兰申请加入北约的问题上，预计北约成员国的共识要少得多。北约的一位发言人说，看来这两个国家不会得到成为新成员所必需的一致赞同票。

Russia vehemently opposes bringing the two former Soviet republics into the alliance. And, France and Germany have indicated they do not believe now is the time to admit these two countries to the lengthy membership process.

　

俄罗斯强烈反对把格鲁吉亚和乌克兰这两个前苏联加盟共和国纳入北约。法国和德国表示，不认为现在是让两个国家开始漫长的加入北约申请程序的好时机。

Two Balkan nations that have completed that process -- Albania and Croatia -- will get formal invitations to join the alliance at the Bucharest summit. Alliance members have also agreed that Macedonia meets the criteria for membership, but Greece has vowed to block approval because of a name dispute.

　

有两个巴尔干地区国家已经完成了申请程序。这两个国家是阿尔巴尼亚和克罗地亚。他们将在这次布加勒斯特高峰会议上被正式邀请加入北约。北约成员还一致认为，马其顿已经满足了加入北约的标准，但是，由于国家名称的争议，希腊表示将阻止接纳马其顿。

There is also a Macedonia region in Greece, and Athens wants Macedonia the country to change its name to reflect the difference.