U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says the United States sees an increasing threat of terrorist attacks coming from Western Europe.
美国国土安全部长切尔托夫说，美国注意到来自西欧地区的恐怖袭击威胁越来越大。
Speaking on British radio and television, BBC TV and radio, Michael Chertoff pointed to the rise of what he called "home grown terrorism" in Europe and warned that Western Europe could increasingly become a breeding ground for terrorists.
切尔托夫在英国广播公司的电视和广播节目中指出，欧洲土生土长的恐怖主义正在抬头。他警告说，西欧可能会日益成为孕育恐怖主义的温床。
In the interview, Chertoff said the United States is looking at measures to tighten security, including checks on travelers coming into the United States from Western Europe. He said such checks are necessary.
在这次访谈中，切尔托夫表示，美国正在考虑加强安全措施，包括检查从西欧进入美国的旅行者，他说，这样的检查是必要的。
"We have a visa waiver program that allows most Europeans who come to be tourists to travel without a visa," Chertoff said. "That means the first time we encounter them is when they arrive in the United States and that creates a very small window of opportunity to check them out."
切尔托夫说：“我们有一个免签证项目，允许大多数欧洲人不用签证就可以来美国旅游。这意味着我们首次和他们相遇是在他们抵达美国的时候，这样我们对他们进行检查的机会很小。”
Chertoff did not specify what measures might be taken to try to weed out potential terrorists, but said steps would be taken to avoid travel and business from being negatively affected.
切尔托夫没有明确说明会采取什么措施来试图甄别潜在的恐怖分子。不过他说，可能会采取步骤，防止旅游和商务行程受到负面影响。
"A lot of what we are trying to do is find a way to better vet [screen] people coming from Europe without impeding the flow of travel and trade which has been a very important part of our economy," said Chertoff.
他说：“我们试图要做的很多工作是如何更好地甄别来自欧洲的游客，同时不妨碍旅游和商务的进行，因为这些往来是我们经济的重要组成部分。”
Chertoff cited the Madrid bombings in 2004 and subsequent bombings and foiled attacks in Britain as evidence that terrorists are increasingly looking to Europe both as a target and as a platform for attacks.
切尔托夫引述2004年马德里爆炸案以及后来的爆炸事件，还有在英国破获的袭击阴谋，说这证明恐怖分子越来越盯上欧洲，把它作为袭击的目标和发动袭击的平台。
But International Affairs analyst Michael Cox of the London School of Economics tells VOA that while he understands U.S. concerns, he does not believe the U.S. government will go as far as requiring Western European travelers to apply for visas to visit the United States.
不过，伦敦政治经济学院的国际事务分析家考克斯对美国之音说，他了解美国的关切，但不相信美国政府会要求来自西欧的游客前往美国时要申请签证。
"They are not going to get rid of the visa waiver program," said Cox. "It's too problematic, too difficult to do so it would send the wrong political signal. And, secondly it would slow down things enormously. What they [the US] will require is that people register before they go."
考克斯说：“他们不会放弃免签证计划，因为那样会有太多的麻烦，太难实行，因为那会释放出错误的政治信号；第二，这会大大降低效率。美国将会要求的是让人们出行前先登记。
"So I think there will be, at least I think 48 hours or 72 hours before you fly or even more, you will have to go through a registration through a central computer system that gives them more time to check up on people," he added.
因此我认为，至少我猜会要求人们在起飞前48小时到72小时，甚至更早以前，通过中心电脑系统进行注册，这样他们会有更多的时间对进入美国的人进行调查。”
Cox said he does not believe such a program would have a great impact on European-U.S. relations if it is implemented. He said it might be an inconvenience but people have become more accustomed to such restrictions.
考克斯说，他认为如果美国开始实行这样的计划也不会对欧美关系带来重大影响。他表示，那可能带来不便，但是人们已经逐渐习惯了这样的限制。 |