A senior United Nations official said it will be very difficult for Afghanistan to hold credible elections earlier than July. Peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy's comment on Monday echoed concerns raised by NATO, the United States, and Afghanistan's political opposition after Afghan President Hamid Karzai asked his country's Independent Election Commission on Saturday to move the date from August to April.
联合国一位高级官员表示，阿富汗在今年7月之前举行令人可信的选举是非常困难的。联合国维和行动负责人阿兰.勒鲁瓦星期一发表的这番评论和北约组织、美国以及阿富汗政治反对派所表达的关注不谋而合。上个星期六，阿富汗总统卡尔扎伊要求阿富汗独立选举委员会把定于今年8月举行的选举提前到4月。
Alain Le Roy said the United Nations has maintained for weeks that it considers the August 20th date set by Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission "very reasonable," and that it would be "almost impossible" to get credible elections before then.
阿兰.勒鲁瓦表示，过去几个星期以来，联合国一直认为阿富汗独立选举委员把8月20日设定为选举日是“非常合理的”，而在此之前举行令人可信的选举“几乎是不可能的”。
"We consider that election -- the U.N. system and UNDP -- which is in charge of assisting the Afghan authorities -- an election before July, would be at least for security, but mostly for logistical and technical reasons, very difficult to organize," he said.
勒鲁瓦说：“联合国系统和负责协助阿富汗当局的联合国开发计划署都认为，在7月份之前组织选举，至少从安全角度，但最重要的是从后勤和技术角度来说是非常困难的。”
He added that the United Nations understands the constitutional debate going on in Afghanistan, because August 20 is not within the timeframe set in the constitution, which prompted President Karzai's decree over the weekend.
勒鲁瓦补充说，联合国理解阿富汗内部围绕宪法规定所展开的争论，因为8月20日不附和宪法所规定的时间框架，而卡尔扎伊总统正是出于这个原因才在上个周末发布有关法令的。
Le Roy told reporters that having the election in April presents a host of problems, including the procurement of election materials and ballots, as well as having the necessary funds -- some $220 million -- to pay for the vote.
勒鲁瓦对记者们表示，在4月份举行选举会导致一系列问题的出现，其中包括采购选举材料和投票箱，以及筹措大约两亿两千万美元的投票资金。
"There is a lot of technical ground that is needed to make the election credible. We consider it almost impossible to do before July," Le Roy said.
他说：“为了使选举令人信服，必须做出许多技术准备。我们认为在7月份之前举行选举几乎是不可能的。”
Asked whether Afghanistan could run a credible election without technical assistance from the United Nations, Le Roy said Kabul has asked for the world body's help and that it is clear there is a need for that help.
当被问及如果没有联合国的技术协助，阿富汗政府是否可以举办一次令人信服的选举的时候，勒鲁瓦表示，喀布尔要求得到联合国的帮助。很显然，阿富汗需要这样的帮助。
President Karzai's decree to move the election up has been widely questioned. The United States military and NATO have said that there is a greater chance for a safe and secure vote if it is held on August 20, as originally planned.
卡尔扎伊总统有关提前举行选举的法令遭到广泛质疑。美国军方和北约组织表示，如果选举按照原计划在8月20日举行，那么确保选举能够安全举行的机会就会更大些。
That date was chosen, in part, to give 17,000 incoming U.S. troops time to improve security in the country.
最初选择8月20日为选举日的部分原因就是给即将抵达阿富汗的1万7千美国部队更多的时间来改善阿富汗的安全。
Mr. Karzai's political opponents have criticized the move, saying it is intended to improve his chances of re-election.
卡尔扎伊的政治反对派人士批评卡尔扎伊的这一举动，认为这是为了提高他当选连任的机会。
But the Afghan president said he wants the elections to be held in accordance with the country's constitution, which calls for a vote 30-to-60 days before his term expires on May 21.
但是卡尔扎伊表示，他希望选举能够按照阿富汗宪法的规定举行。宪法规定，在卡尔扎伊的任期于5月21日结束之前的30到60天之内举行。
Afghanistan's election commission has not formally commented on the decree.
阿富汗选举委员会还没有对卡尔扎伊的法令做出正式评论。 |