美国国家公共电台 NPR--The Summit of Americas in Los Angeles is mired in tension

The Summit of Americas in Los Angeles is mired¹ in tension

Transcript²

The Summit of Americas is underway. But with discord³ over attendance and low expectations of a major breakthrough among those who will be there — how much need is there for such a gathering⁴?

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

The Summit of the Americas opens this week in Los Angeles. As the name implies, leaders of countries across the Western Hemisphere are invited. The United States also disinvited a handful of countries, saying that they stand against democracy. Our next guest thinks the U.S. should not bother with this regular meeting at all. Dan Restrepo worked on Latin American affairs in the Obama administration and is now at the Center for American Progress. Good morning.

DAN RESTREPO: Good morning.

INSKEEP: Dan, what's wrong with the Summit of the Americas?

RESTREPO: It tries to do too many things and to do them too infrequently. It's 34 countries, roughly, where you end up in a consensus-driven environment with agenda or outputs that are very much least common denominator. There's a better way for the U.S. to engage, which, I think, is to engage sub-regionally - once a year with the Central Americans, the next year with the Caribbean, the next year with South America and annually⁵ with Canada and Mexico.

INSKEEP: So you don't want the U.S. to be less engaged with Latin America?

RESTREPO: No, absolutely not. U.S. interests demand constant engagement. The region is deeply important for the United States and for everybody who lives in the United States. And there's just a better way of engaging than what ends up being a personality pageant⁶ and about sideshows rather than about the real issues facing the region.

INSKEEP: Well, let's talk about the issues that are facing this particular summit, given that it is going ahead. Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua are not invited by the United States because they're not democratic. Just on a factual basis, it does seem there's a problem with democracy in those three countries. Is it sensible to leave them out, though?

RESTREPO: Look, some of the Americas, six of the previous eight, did not have non-democracies present. The Western Hemisphere, unlike any other region in the world, has a agreement, a shared value - the Inter-American Democratic Charter - that says democracy is a shared value and the defense⁷ of democracy is a shared responsibility. So democracy has been, historically, a ticket to participate in the Summit of the Americas. So this is kind of a return to that norm rather than the last two that included countries that were non-democratic.

INSKEEP: So you think it's good then?

RESTREPO: I think it makes sense. If the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the commitment to democracy is going to mean something - the non-democratic countries, there has to be some consequence - doesn't say that you don't engage them in other forums⁸ and in other ways. But I do believe a hemispheric commitment to democracy has to mean something. And I think this is one of the manifestations⁹ of that.

INSKEEP: There is an unusual side effect, though, of course. The president of Mexico is saying he's not going to attend if everybody else is not attending. When I read the latest news reports, it's not entirely¹⁰ clear to me if he is or isn't going to show up. But he's been saying he will not attend. Can you have a Summit of the Americas without Mexico present?

RESTREPO: Certainly. Three years ago, the Summit of the Americas took place without the president of the United States. So it is possible to do these summits without individual leaders. It's unfortunate if the president of Mexico decides to represent the interests of those three countries rather than 120 million Mexicans by showing up at the summit. But that's obviously his choice. Mexico will be represented one way or the other. Mexico is, perhaps, the country that is most influential¹¹ for the United States, I'd say, or most impactful in the world, let alone in the Americas. So a deep relationship with them is important. It's unfortunate if Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the president of Mexico, decides not to come. But it's not - certainly not the end of the world, nor the end of the summit.

INSKEEP: When Americans think of Mexico, I think they think first of immigration, questions about the border with Mexico, questions about Central American migrants coming through Mexico toward the United States. Is that the way that Latin Americans think of this meeting with the American - with American officials?

RESTREPO: Look; I think there are a lot of people on the move in the Americas right now, not just from northern Central America, through Mexico to the United States. In fact, the largest displacement¹³ of population are Venezuelans. More than 6 million Venezuelans have been forced out of that country since 2015. Managing migration¹² and a new and better way of cooperating on migration, I think, is a central issue that will be addressed in Los Angeles, that needs to be addressed in Los Angeles. So countries find ways to stabilize¹⁴ these populations so folks can both choose not to move, choose not to migrate. And those who have been forced out from their home countries can settle and become productive members of the countries that they're currently residing in. I think that is a central issue of this summit. But migration writ¹⁵ large in the Americas is not just migration to the United States.

INSKEEP: Oh, so is that the major concern of other nations besides the United States?

RESTREPO: Absolutely, Steve. There are a number of countries that are housing far more migrants today throughout Latin America and the Caribbean than is the United States. And it is a top priority for them to find better ways of integrating those folks into their societies, finding legal pathways, so that you can bring order to what is today a fairly disordered migration across the Americas.

INSKEEP: Dan Restrepo is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Thanks so much.

RESTREPO: Thank you, Steve.

1 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

6 pageant   

n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧

参考例句：

• Our pageant represented scenes from history.我们的露天历史剧上演一幕幕的历史事件。
• The inauguration ceremony of the new President was a splendid pageant.新主席的就职典礼的开始是极其壮观的。

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

9 manifestations   

n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• These were manifestations of the darker side of his character. 这些是他性格阴暗面的表现。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• To be wordly-wise and play safe is one of the manifestations of liberalism. 明哲保身是自由主义的表现之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

11 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

12 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

13 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

14 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

15 writ   

n.命令状，书面命令

参考例句：

• This is a copy of a writ I received this morning.这是今早我收到的书面命令副本。
• You shouldn't treat the newspapers as if they were Holy Writ. 你不应该把报上说的话奉若神明。