S. Korean President Leaves For Summits Aimed At Better Ties With US, Japan

韩国总统李明博周一启程访问美国

　



South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has departed South Korea for a week of summit diplomacy aimed at turning a new page in ties with Japan and the United States. Lee administration officials say the president is particularly hoping to repair Seoul's relationship with Washington.

　

韩国总统李明博启程进行为期一周的出访。韩国希望此行能够揭开同美国和日本外交关系的新的一页。李明博政府官员说，李明博总统特别希望修补韩国与美国的关系。

South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo told reporters Monday in Seoul that President Lee Myung-bak's summit trip to Washington is about "re-energizing" and "reconsolidating" the alliance between the two countries. He also cautioned North Korea not to attempt to exclude South Korea from any deal aimed at ending the North's nuclear weapons programs.

　

韩国总理韩升洙星期一在首尔对记者说，李明博总统前往华盛顿参加峰会是为了再次加强并巩固两国间的联盟关系。他也提醒北韩别妄图把韩国排除在任何旨在结束北韩核武器项目的协议之外。

"Our relationship with the United States is very strong," he said. "We've been allies for many, many years. So going to the United States over the shoulder of the Republic of Korea [South Korea] will not succeed."

　

他说：“我们和美国的关系非常牢固。我们两国多少年来一直是盟友。所以想绕过韩国、只跟美国打交道是不会成功的。

Han's words echoed those of President Lee himself, who held a nationally televised news conference Sunday before departing Monday for the United States. Mr. Lee says North Korea will be a key topic in his talks with President Bush at the Camp David retreat in Maryland. He says compared to previous South Korean administrations, his government will be more active in closely coordinating policy on North Korea with the United States.

　

李明博总统本人也曾发表类似谈话。在星期一启程前往美国前，李明博星期天在电视上说，北韩将是他在马里兰州渡假地戴维营与布什总统会谈的一个中心话题。他说：“他的政府与以前的韩国政府相比，将更为紧密地和美国协调有关北韩的政策。”

North Korea invaded the South in 1950 - five years after the U.S. liberated the Korean peninsula from Japanese rule. The United States deploys about 28,000 forces here to uphold a 1953 North-South armistice and to deter a repeat invasion.

　

北韩在上世纪五十年代，即美国把朝鲜半岛从日本统治下解放出来的五年后，入侵韩国。美按照1953年南北韩停火协议，在韩国部署约两万八千人的部队，以阻遏北韩再次来犯。

Some experts have criticized Mr. Lee's two most recent predecessors for seeking engagement and peaceful economic cooperation with the North at the expense of the alliance with the United States. The North tested its first nuclear weapon in 2006, an event some say was made easier by the relatively uncritical transfers of billions of dollars worth of aid and investment from the South.

　

有些专家批评李明博的两位前任一味寻求与北韩交往，发展经济关系，以至损害了美韩同盟关系。北韩在2006年试验了第一枚核武器。有人认为，韩国似乎不分青红皂白地把几十亿美元的援助和资本投入北韩，进而加速了北韩的核试验。

President Lee - a conservative former corporate chairman - says the South will continue to help the North, but only if Pyongyang cooperates on getting rid of its nuclear weapons.He says South Korea will persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear program through ongoing six-nation diplomacy, and that the North must come to realize that ending its nuclear programs will be beneficial.

　

立场保守的李明博总统曾是公司董事长。他说，韩国将继续帮助北韩， 但是前提是北韩必须配合放弃其核武器项目。

North Korea is now nearly five months overdue in providing a declaration of its nuclear activities that it promised to produce by the end of last year.

　

北韩到目前为止已经拖延了近五个月还没有提交核活动清单。他们曾答应在去年年底前交出这份清单。

A recent U.S. - North Korea meeting in Singapore has fostered hope a breakthrough may be near. South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan says he hopes the negotiations can get back to a brisk pace.

　

美国和北韩最近在新加坡举行了一次会谈，给人带来可能即将突破僵局的希望。韩国外交部长尹永宽说，他希望有关谈判能再次积极展开。

He says South Korea believes the multinational nuclear diplomacy needs to resume by next month, and that the six nations should ideally sign a new phase of a disarmament agreement by August.

　

他说：“韩国认为六方会谈应该在下月重新开始，并希望在八月份时签署有关北韩解除核项目下一阶段进程的协议。”