英国新闻听力 美议员麦克李望与英国维持特殊关系

Mike Lee: First thing we can do is to continue the special relationship that has existed for more than one hundred years between the United States and the United Kingdom. One that has served as the foundation for shared pursuit of freedom, security and democracy in the world. So that’s why I’ve introduced the United Kingdom Trade Continuity Act, which would allow US-UK commercial relationship to continue operating under the parameters¹ of the current US-EU commercial agreements until a new US-UK agreement can be made.

Journalist: And how would that work practically? What are the things that the two countries can trade right now and continue that relationship even after Brexit?

Mike Lee: In the first instance, it would keep everything intact. It would make everything stand as is. And then it would also require the President of the United States to initiate² negotiations³ within 30 days of the passage of this Act, to reach a new bilateral⁴ trade agreement within one year. This is important because this is a big trade relationship. You know in 2015 alone, the United States had 56 billion dollars worth of exports to the United Kingdom with nearly 58 billion dollars in imports.

Journalist: So that’s a really important relationship for the United Kingdom and indeed the United States. And yet President Obama said that Britain would go to “back of the queue”. How likely is it that your legislation can be enacted⁵ in time to keep the relationship to remain continuous?

Mike Lee: Let me put it this way. I know that I am not alone when I said this relationship is important. I know that I am not alone in saying that President Obama’s position about the United Kingdom needing to go to back of the queue”. You know I’m not sure what that means. But whatever it means, it should not mean that we discontinue this special relationship we have. Here’s the bottom line. We’re committed and I believe others in Congress are also committed to making sure that we do whatever we can to work with Prime Minister Theresa May and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox to make sure that this works, to make sure that this trade relationship survives and in fact continues to thrive. And that’s exactly why I’ve introduced the United Kingdom Trade Continuity Act.

麦克·李：首先我们要做的是继续保持美英已持续100多年的“特殊关系”。这种“特殊关系”是我们在全世界共同追求自由、安全和民主的基石。这也是我提出《英国贸易连续性法案》的原因。这个法案允许美英商贸关系在现有的美与欧盟商贸协议规范下继续运作，直到美英达成新的商贸协议。

BBC记者：这个法案在实际中是怎么操作的？英美两个国家现在能进行怎样的贸易往来？英国“脱欧”后，两国又将怎样继续保持这种贸易关系？

麦克·李：起初，一切都会保持原样。一切原来是什么样还是什么样。之后，它要求美国总统在法案通过后30天内，与英国开启贸易协商，并在一年内达成新的双边贸易协议。保持原有的贸易关系非常重要，因为英美贸易量非常大。仅2015年一年，美国对英国的出口贸易额达到了560亿美元，美国对英国进口贸易额达到了近580亿美元。

BBC记者：这样看来，英美贸易关系确实对两国很重要。但是奥巴马总统说英国“脱欧”后需要重新排队（同美国签署贸易协议）。这个法案有多大可能性能及时通过，使英美原有贸易关系继续下去？

麦克·李：我这么说吧。我知道不是只有我一个人说英美关系很重要。也不是只有我一个人质疑奥巴马总统的立场——英国脱欧后需要重新排队（同美国签署贸易协议）。我不确定他这话是什么意思。但是不管是什么意思，它不应该是中断英美现有的特殊关系的意思。可以肯定的是，我相信共和党参议员和国会其他参议员都会与英国首相特蕾莎·梅和英国国际贸易大臣利亚姆·福克斯一道，竭尽全力确保英美特殊关系能够继续下去，确保英美贸易关系可以维持，事实上是能够继续繁荣下去。这正是我提出《英国贸易连续性法案》的初衷。

1 parameters   

因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素

参考例句：

• We have to work within the parameters of time. 我们的工作受时间所限。
• See parameters.cpp for a compilable example. This is part of the Spirit distribution. 可编译例子见parameters.cpp.这是Spirit分发包的组成部分。

2 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

5 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹