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　　President Barack Obama has been under pressure to recast the nation's relations with Cuba and ease decades of restrictions¹ on the Communist government. Already the president has ended travel limits on Cuban-Americans and called for new talks between the nations, but Havana says Washington is not going far enough.
美国总统奥巴马在如何调整与古巴的关系以及是否放松数十年来对古巴共产党政府的限制等问题上面临压力。奥巴马总统已经取消了对古巴裔美国人前往古巴的限制，并呼吁古巴与美国举行新的对话。但是古巴说，美国采取的行动还不够。
As many people make plans to visit family for the holidays, Cuban-Americans are hoping to take advantage of new rules that ease travel to the island. Earlier this year, President Obama reversed a 2002 rule that limited how often Cuban-Americans could visit relatives or send remittances² to the island. Supporters of the rule say fewer travelers meant less U.S. money was getting to the Cuban government, but critics say the rule simply kept families apart.
很多美国人计划在年底的节日假期探望家人。古巴裔美国人则希望能利用放松了的前往古巴的新规定。今年早些时候，奥巴马总统取消了2002年制定的有关古巴裔美国人去古巴探亲次数和向古巴汇款的限制规定。支持这些限制的人士说，前往古巴的人数减少意味着更少的美国资金流到古巴政府手中。但是批评人士说，这种限制只是造成家人分离。
Since the change, travel agents say activity is up and some charter companies have added more flights to accommodate the flood of Cuban-Americans making trips back to the island.
自从放松限制以来，旅游代理机构说，前往古巴的人数增加，一些包机公司增加了飞往古巴的航班，以满足回古巴探亲的大批古巴裔美国人的需求。
In Miami, Alvaro Fernandez advocated against the U.S. travel restrictions for years. He was one of the first to take advantage of the new rules and return to Cuba earlier this year, and he says many other Cuban-Americans are doing the same.
在迈阿密，费尔南德斯多年来一直反对限制前往古巴旅行的规定。他是最早利用有关新规定、今年年初重返古巴的人之一。他说，很多古巴裔美国人也在这样做。
"This time of the year is when people travel," he explained. "It's a family thing, they want to spend the end of the year together. So now with travel easier, more people are going."
费尔南德斯说：“每年这个时候都是人们旅行的季节。这是家庭活动，人们希望年底的时候家人能团聚。现在旅行限制放松了，有更多的人前往古巴。”
At the same time, the Obama administration has been reaching out to the Cuban government to end decades of isolation³ and mutual⁴ distrust. Officials met in September to discuss renewing direct mail. They also plan to reopen talks on migration⁵ issues, which were canceled by former President George W. Bush in 2003.
与此同时，奥巴马政府一直努力与古巴政府接触，以结束数十年来的孤立和相互不信任。美国和古巴的政府官员今年9月曾经会面，讨论恢复直接通邮的问题。他们还计划重新开始有关移民问题的会谈。布什总统2003年取消了与古巴的移民会谈。
Officials on both sides say it will take numerous efforts and a prolonged commitment to bring together the former Cold War foes⁶.
美国和古巴的官员都说，需要多种努力和长期的承诺才能让这两个冷战期间的对手重归于好。
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in September, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the ball is in Washington's court. He acknowledged the steps that U.S. officials have taken this year, but said they were moving far too slowly.
古巴外交部长布鲁诺.罗德里格斯9月份在联合国全体大会发表讲话时说，目前球已经落在华盛顿一边。他提到了华盛顿政府官员今年所采取的行动，但是说，行动的进展速度过于迟缓。
Rodriguez told the assembly that the chief problem is that the U.S. embargo⁷ against trade and financial activity remains⁸ in place.
罗德里格斯对联合国大会说，主要的问题在于美国仍然对古巴实行贸易和金融制裁。
Washington has enforced the embargo for nearly 50 years, in part to press the Communist nation to move toward democratization and greater respect for human rights. Some U.S. leaders say the hard-line stance has clearly failed to achieve the goal.
华盛顿将近50年来一直对古巴制裁，部分原因是试图迫使古巴走向民主化和改善对人权的尊重。一些美国领导人说，这个强硬立场明显未能实现预期的目标。
Now, lawmakers are working on a bill that would enable all Americans to travel to Cuba, not just Cuban-Americans. Supporters of the House measure say one of the best ways to spur democratic change in Cuba is through direct contact with Americans visiting the island.
美国国会目前正在制定将允许所有美国人前往古巴的议案，而不是仅仅对古巴裔美国人网开一面。支持这项议案的人士说，促进古巴民主变革的最好方法之一就是让美国人前往古巴，和古巴人直接接触。
Phil Peters, a Cuba analyst⁹ for the Lexington Institute near Washington, says the bill has a good chance of winning approval early next year.
设在华盛顿附近的莱克星顿研究所的古巴问题分析员彼得斯说，这项议案有可能明年年初在国会获得通过。
"They got 180 co-sponsors of this bill to end all the travel restrictions, so that certainly puts them in striking distance," he said.
彼得斯说：“这项结束旅行限制的议案有180个共同发起人。所以，这项议案离最后获得通过相当接近。”
Critics of the proposal say it could have the opposite effect in Cuba, and actually empower the repressive government. Cuba's government controls all major economic sectors¹⁰ on the island, so critics say an increase in tourist activity would increase the flow of government revenue.
批评这项议案的人士说，这将在古巴导致适得其反的效果，进一步加强压制性的古巴政府的力量。古巴政府控制着所有重要经济领域。批评人士说，旅游的增加将增加古巴政府的收入。
At a recent congressional hearing, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen attacked the travel proposal, saying scores of other foreign visitors have had little impact inside Cuba.
美国国会议员罗斯勒提恩抨击取消旅行限制的提案。她说，其它一些国家访问古巴的人对古巴内部造成的影响微乎其微。
"European visitors, visitors from Mexico. Canada sends so many visitors to Cuba. What has the Cuban regime done? Has it unclenched its fist? Did I miss that?" she asked.
罗斯勒提恩说：“有欧洲人，有墨西哥人。还有那么多加拿大人前往古巴。古巴政权又采取了什么行动呢？放松了它的拳头了？还是我看走眼了？”
Critics of Havana also point to recent events on the island as evidence that Cuban officials have no desire to release political prisoners or stop violent crackdowns on dissidents. Popular Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez claims that plain-clothes officers beat her on the way to a recent protest. Authorities also detained several dissidents during a march to celebrate Human Rights Day in December.
University of Nebraska at Omaha professor Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado recently visited Cuba to explore opportunities for rapprochement between the two governments. He says many Cuban leaders have a sincere interest in improving ties, but there are rogue¹¹ elements in the Cuban government who are not prepared to relax political control on the island.
内布拉斯加大学奥马哈分校的本杰明阿尔瓦拉多教授最近访问了古巴，探讨美国和古巴和解的机会。他说，有很多古巴领导人真心希望改善与美国的关系，但是古巴政府内有一些无赖，不愿意放松对国内的政治控制。
"They want to remind people that yes, there certainly is hope for the future, but we are still in control here," he said.
本杰明阿尔瓦拉多说：“他们希望提醒本国人民：是的，未来肯定有希望，但是目前掌控一切的仍然是我们。”
In coming months, Benjamin-Alvarado says U.S. officials will have a delicate job of pressing Cuba to open up while at the same time not appearing to bully¹² its smaller neighbor. He says there are a number of non-political areas, such as anti-drug operations, where the two governments can begin to cooperate. But it may be a long and slow process to overcome five decades of tension and mutual distrust.
本杰明阿尔瓦拉多教授说，美国政府官员面临一项艰难的工作，既要迫使古巴开放，又不能让人感到它在欺压弱小的邻国。他说，在缉毒行动等非政治领域，两国政府可以开始合作。但是克服50年来的紧张关系和相互不信任可能将是一个长期的缓慢过程。