US to Shift Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Aid for Fighter Jet Upgrade

美证实为巴提供反恐资金转移用途

　



The Bush administration confirmed Thursday it plans to reallocate counter-terrorism aid money for Pakistan to allow that country to upgrade U.S.-supplied F-16 fighter planes. The move is drawing criticism from some members of the U.S. Congress.

　

布什政府星期四证实重新分配给巴基斯坦的反恐资金的计划，为了使巴基斯坦能更新美国提供的F-16型战斗机，这一行动招致某些美国国会议员的批评。

The Bush administration, in advance of next week's Washington visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani, says it has agreed to shift aid money earmarked for counter-terrorism to an upgrade of Pakistan's aging fleet of F-16 fighter jets.

　

布什政府说，它已同意把给巴基斯坦的反恐专用款项改而用于更新巴基斯坦老旧的F-16型喷气式战斗机。布什是巴基斯坦总理吉拉尼下周到访前发表以上讲话的。

At issue is about $230 million in aid money approved by Congress for military equipment and training that had been earmarked for law enforcement and counter-terrorism purposes.

　

所涉及的款项是国会批准用于军事设备和训练的两亿三千万美元的援助资金，这笔经费是指定为执法及反恐的目的所用。

Under the proposed re-programming, Pakistan could use the money to upgrade about 40 old-model F-16's in its arsenal for several years. U.S. officials say the planes would get new avionics and equipment to put them on a par with new F-16's Pakistan is buying under an arms deal approved in 2006.

　

根据提议中的重新分配计划，巴基斯坦可以使用这笔钱来更新已在武库内若干年的大约40架老型号的F-16型飞机。美国官员说，这些飞机会得到新型的航空控制系统和设备，使之相当于新式的F-16型飞机。巴基斯坦正在根据2006年批准的协议购买这类新型的飞机。

The U.S. Congress could block the change and initial reaction has been negative, with leading Democrats questioning the utility of fighter planes in counter-terrorism operations.

　

美国国会可能会阻挠这一拨款的变动，而且国会对此的初步反应是负面的。主要的民主党人对战斗机在反恐行动中的实用性表示怀疑。

But in a talk with reporters, Acting State Department Spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said Pakistan has used F-16's in fighting insurgents along its border with Afghanistan.

　

但是，国务院代理发言人加列戈在与记者谈话时说，巴基斯坦已经在和阿富汗接壤的边境地区使用了F-16型战斗机打击叛乱分子。

He said the aid shift was raised by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi in his Washington visit earlier this month, and that the administration believes it is a way to both enhance the Islamabad government's anti-terrorism capabilities, and ease its financial burden in the face of soaring energy and food prices.

　

他说，这笔援助资金的转移是巴基斯坦外长古瑞西在本月初访问华盛顿时提出的。布什政府认为，这样做能提高巴基斯坦政府反恐能力并在能源及食品价格上涨的局面下减轻他们的财务重负。

"We took at look at this and decided that, because these [planes] could be used in this way, and because it was so necessary to continue this fight against the extremists, that this was good opportunity for us to, number one, assist the government with the request - this new democratically-elected elected government with the request that they made to us. And number two, to help to support their capability and our capability to fight extremists in the area," he said.

　

加列戈说：“我们考虑到这些飞机可以用于继续和极端分子作斗争，而这是非常有必要的，因此我们决定，这样做对我们来说是很好的机会来满足巴基斯坦政府提出的要求；其次，这样做也有助于支持他们以及我们在该地区向极端分子斗争的能力。”

In comments Wednesday, Senate Democrat Patrick Leahy and House Democrat Nita Lowey, both of whom chair key foreign affairs appropriations subcommittees, expressed reservations about the aid shift.

　

参议院民主党人莱希和众议院民主党人罗伊星期三发表评论，对这笔资金转移用途表示有保留意见。这两位议员都是重要的外交事务拨款小组委员会的主席。

Lowey said it is incumbent on both the State Department and the Pakistani government, if they want Congress to support the action, to demonstrate clearly how the F-16's would be used to fight al-Qaida and the Taliban.

　

罗伊说，如果要美国国会支持这项行动，那么，美国国务院和巴基斯坦政府就有责任来明确地展示这些F-16型飞机是如何能用来打击基地组织和塔利班的。

The New York Times reported Thursday that Pakistan has used the F-16's against the extremists only on rare occasions, because of concern about potential civilian casualties.

　

据纽约时报星期四报导，巴基斯坦很少使用F-16型战斗机打击极端分子，因为担心会伤害平民。

It said U.S. officials believe the upgrade would greatly enhance the planes' ability to strike insurgents more accurately and reduce the risk to others.

　

纽约时报说，美国官员相信更新的飞机能提高飞机打击叛乱分子的命中率，并减少他人承受危险的可能性。

The Bush administration has provided Pakistan with more than $10 billion in military and economic aid, since it sided with Washington in the war on terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

　

2001年9月11号美国遭受恐怖袭击后，巴基斯坦支持华盛顿的反恐战争。从那时以来，布什政府已向巴基斯坦提供了100多亿美元的军事和经济援助。

Some members of Congress believe the program has been weighted too heavily toward security assistance.

　

某些国会议员认为，这一援助方案过于偏重于安全方面的援助。

President Bush is to meet Prime Minister Gilani at the White House next Monday for talks expected to be dominated by aid and security issues.

　

布什总统下周一将在白宫与吉拉尼总理会谈，预计会谈的主题是援助和安全问题。