U.S. President Barack Obama travels Friday to Trinidad and Tobago to attend the fifth Summit of the Americas, a gathering of all hemispheric leaders minus Cuba. U.S. officials say the summit is an opportunity to forge a regional response to the global economic downturn, as well as environmental challenges and energy issues, although questions about Cuba could upstage the agenda.
美国总统奥巴马即将于星期五启程前往特立尼达和多巴哥出席第五届美洲峰会。这是一次除去古巴以外的其它美洲国家元首的聚会。美国官员说，此次峰会将为美洲地区应对全球经济下行、环境挑战、以及能源问题提供契机。但也有分析人士指出，古巴问题可能会成为突出议题。
The financial crisis and deep recession have inflicted widespread pain across the Americas.
金融危机和深度衰退使整个美洲遭受严重影响。
Financial crisis is top issue
Confronting the economic downturn and preventing it from boosting hemispheric poverty rates will be urgent priorities at the Summit of the Americas, according U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Tom Shannon.
美国国务院负责西半球事务的助理国务卿汤姆.香农说，在即将召开的美洲峰会上，对抗经济下行以及防止美洲贫困人口比例激增将成为此次峰会的紧急首要议题。
"We have to protect the social gains that we have made in this hemisphere over the past decade, and ensure that the economic recovery of all the countries in the hemisphere does not come at the expense of the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society," he said.
他说：“我们必须捍卫我们过去10年来在西半球取得的社会成就，并确保西半球国家的经济复苏不是以牺牲社会最贫困和最脆弱阶层的利益为代价。”
Environmental issues figure prominently
The gathering is also expected to address environmental challenges and the need to develop alternatives to fossil fuels.
这次峰会预计还将讨论环境挑战和开发替代燃料等问题。
At previous summits, the United States set forth an ambitious and still unattained goal: forging a vast, hemisphere-wide free-trade zone. No such grand vision will be unveiled by Mr. Obama in Trinidad, according to the president's special advisor for the summit, Jeffrey Davidow.
在此前的几届峰会上，美国曾经设定了一个雄心勃勃、但是尚未实现的目标--建立庞大的西半球自由贸易区。奥巴马总统的美洲峰会特别顾问杰夫里.戴维德说，奥巴马不会在特立尼达和多巴哥宣布类似的庞大计划。
"The president is going in a spirit of dealing with these other nations as partners. He is not going to Trinidad with a plan for the hemisphere. He is going with the intention of listening, discussing," Davidow said.
他说：“奥巴马总统本着把其它国家视为伙伴的精神出席此次峰会。他将不会携带一个西半球计划出席峰会。他出席此次会议的宗旨是倾听和讨论。”
Obama warns against protectionism
Mr. Obama has consistently warned against protectionism in recent months, a message he is expected to repeat in Trinidad and which is welcome news to other governments. Jamaica's ambassador to the OAS, Anthony Johnson, says countries may be tempted to erect trade barriers during tough economic times, but this is a mistake.
最近几个月，奥巴马总统多次就贸易保护主义发出警告。预计，他将在峰会上重复这一信息。其它国家政府将对此表示欢迎。牙买加驻美洲国家组织大使安东尼.约翰逊说，经济困难时期，树立贸易壁垒对很多国家来说非常具有诱惑力，但这样做是错误的。
"If we go into a protectionist downward spiral, we are lost," Johnson said.
他说：“如果我们陷入贸易保护主义的螺旋式下滑轨道，我们就将失去方向。”
Whereas the G20 summit in London earlier this month kept its focus on global financial and economic matters, discussions at the Summit of the Americas could be sidetracked by advocacy on behalf of a nation not present at the gathering: Cuba.
本月早些时候的伦敦20国集团金融峰会主要讨论了金融和经济议题。即将召开的美洲峰会可能由于支持无法到会的古巴的发言而偏离这个议题。
Economic embargo irritates some
The decades-old U.S. economic embargo of the communist-run island has long-irritated other nations in the Americas, including many close U.S. allies. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has decried Cuba's exclusion from the summit, prompting this response from Jeffrey Davidow.
美国对古巴采取的长达几十年的经济禁运使很多美洲国家不满，其中也包括一些美国的盟国。委内瑞拉总统查韦斯最近批评将古巴排除在峰会之外的做法。奥巴马总统的美洲峰会特别顾问戴维德对此做出回应。
"It [the summit] continues to be a celebration of the profound change in this hemisphere as compared to many periods in the past when the hemisphere was marked by undemocratic governments. Cuba was not at the first summit; it remains an undemocratic state. The United States still hopes to see change in Cuba," he said.
他说：“峰会将继续庆祝西半球和过去若干历史时期相比发生的深刻变化。历史上，美洲地区的很多国家缺乏民主政府。古巴没有出席第一届美洲峰会。古巴仍然是非民主国家。美国希望看到古巴发生变化。”
Will Obama take new approach?
But the Obama administration appears sensitive to hemispheric frustration over nearly 50 years of diplomatic and economic estrangement between Washington and Havana. Earlier this week, the United States relaxed bans on travel and remittances to the island by Cuban-Americans.
但是，奥巴马政府似乎对美古两国近半个世纪的外交和经济隔绝在美洲引起的不满相当敏感。本星期早些时候，美国宣布放松对古巴裔美国人赴古巴旅行和向古巴汇款的限制。
During last year's presidential campaign, Barack Obama expressed a willingness to meet leaders of nations with which the United States has no official diplomatic relations, including Cuban President Raul Castro.
在去年美国总统大选期间，奥巴马曾经表示愿意和没有同美国建立正式外交关系的国家领导人举行会晤，其中包括古巴主席劳尔.卡斯特罗。
U.S. officials note that summit talks will be open, and any leader may raise issues about Cuba or any other topic. But they add it would be unfortunate if Cuba came to dominate discussions at a time of economic peril for the entire hemisphere.
美国官员说，美洲峰会的议题是开放的。任何领导人都可以提及古巴问题或者任何其它问题。但是美国官员同时表示，在经济问题困扰整个西半球的时候，古巴如果成为压倒性议题将是令人遗憾的。
Obama in high demand
Many leaders at the summit will be meeting President Obama for the first time. The Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, says the U.S. leader will be in great demand.
峰会上，很多美洲国家领导人将首次和奥巴马会晤。美洲国家组织秘书长何塞.米格尔.因苏尔萨说，奥巴马总统将成为热门人物。
"Everybody expects to see the president [Obama]. And they do not expect just to shake hands with him. They [all] expect to have 10 or 15 minutes with the president, which is a logistical problem," he said.
他说：“大家都想见他一面。这些领导人期望的不仅仅是和他握握手。他们希望能和奥巴马交谈10或者15分钟。这在礼宾安排上是一个难题。”
White House officials say President Obama met with five hemispheric leaders at the G-20 summit.
白宫官员说，奥巴马总统在伦敦20国集团峰会上已经见过五位美洲国家领导人。
Better approval ratings
Public-opinion polls in Latin America show far higher approval ratings for President Obama than those of his predecessor, George W. Bush. With that popularity comes opportunity, according to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva.
拉美地区的民调显示，奥巴马总统的支持率远远高于他的前任布什总统。巴西总统卢拉认为，这样的受欢迎程度将带来新的契机。
"President Obama has a historic opportunity to improve the [U.S.] relationship with Latin America," he said.
他说：“奥巴马总统面临着一个改善美国和拉美关系的历史性机遇。”
The consensus view in the Americas is the United States turned its gaze away from hemispheric concerns after the attacks of September 11, 2001, focusing instead on Afghanistan, Iraq, and the global war on terror. Observers say the upcoming four-day trip, which begins with an overnight stay Thursday in Mexico, will give Mr. Obama a chance to change that perception.
美洲地区存在的一种共识是，9/11事件后，美国的视线偏离了拉美，转而关注阿富汗、伊拉克、以及全球反恐战争。观察人士指出，以星期四晚间经停墨西哥为起始的四天峰会之旅将给奥巴马总统一个机会改变这种看法。 |