Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell will return to the region next week to start indirect peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The United States is looking to Arab allies to provide more aid to the Palestinian Authority, and take confidence-building steps with Israel, to support the process.
美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿星期五说，美国中东特使米切尔下周将返回中东地区，开始以色列和巴勒斯坦之间的间接和平谈判。美国希望阿拉伯盟友能向巴勒斯坦当局提供更多援助，并采取措施与以色列建立互信，来支持和平进程。
The start of the so-called "proximity" talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, marks a step forward in U.S.-led efforts to revive the stalled regional peace process.
在以色列和巴勒斯坦政府之间所谓的“间接”谈判是由巴勒斯坦民族权力机构主席阿巴斯主导的，这标志着以美国为主的、为停滞的中东和平进程所做的努力向前迈进了一步。
At at a joint press event with Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad al-Sabah, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made clear that the Obama administration wants to see the early resumption of full-scale direct negotiations.
美国国务卿希拉里在与科威特副首相兼外交大臣萨巴赫联合举行的新闻发布会上明确表示，奥巴马政府希望看到全面直接谈判能早日恢复。
"I think we've been very clear in our efforts that the resumption of talks is absolutely essential for the progress we seek toward a two-state solution," she said. "We will be starting with proximity talks next week. Senator Mitchell will be going back to the region, and we look forward to the meeting of the Arab [League] follow-up committee in Cairo tomorrow night to support the commitment by President Abbas to move forward with these talks."
希拉里说：“我认为我们做出的努力清楚表明，恢复和谈是我们寻求两国共存的解决方案的根本。我们将会在下星期开始‘间接’谈判。米切尔参议员将返回中东地区，我们盼望着明天晚上在开罗与阿拉伯国家联盟的一个委员会会面，来支持阿巴斯主席为推动和谈作出的承诺。”
The Arab League set up the committee to pursue implemetation of its 2002 peace initiative offering Israel political recognition if it withdraws from occupied areas and makes peace with the Palestinians.
阿拉伯国家联盟设立这个委员会是为了实施2002年的一项和平提议，该提议提出如果以色列从被占领土撤出，并与巴勒斯坦和平共处，阿拉伯联盟就会承认以色列的政治地位。
In a Middle East policy address Thursday night, Clinton urged Arab countries to back up verbal statements of support for the Palestinian Authority with tangible financial aid.
克林顿国务卿在星期四晚上谈到中东政策的时候，敦促阿拉伯国家支持一份口头声明，以切实的资助支持巴勒斯坦当局。
She also said Arab moderates should reopen trade offices and make other confidence-building gestures toward Israel to show Israelis that peace would actually end the Jewish state's regional isolation.
克林顿还说阿拉伯温和派应该在以色列重新开放贸易办公室，并做出其他一些有助于建立互信的姿态来向以色列表示，和平实际上将消除以色列这个犹太国家在中东地区的孤立状态。
Asked if Kuwait is ready to take such steps, Deputy Prime Minister al-Sabah stressed Kuwaiti support for U.S.-led peace efforts but would not be specific.
当被问到科威特是否做好准备采取类似的措施时，科威特副首相萨巴赫强调说，科威特支持美国倡导的和平努力，他不愿详细说明。
"We have supported the proximity talks during early March. Unfortunately the response from Israel was an announcement to build 1,600 houses in East Jerusalem, as if it was a response to our support for the proximity talks," he said. "Yet, we did not be discouraged by that. During the Arab summit in Tripoli we reconfirmed our commitment to the proximity talks to help the United States achieve this strategic objective."
萨巴赫说：“我们在3月初就一直支持‘间接’谈判。不幸的是，以色列方面的回应却是声明要在东耶路撒冷兴建1600所住房，好像那就是对我们支持间接和谈所作的回答。不过，我们不会因此而感到灰心。在的黎波里举行的阿拉伯峰会上我们再次肯定了对间接和谈的承诺，以帮助美国来实现这个战略目标。”
In the proximity talks, U.S. envoy Mitchell - a former Senate Majority leader - is expected to shuttle between Israeli officials in Jerusalem and Palestinian officials in the nearby West Bank town of Ramallah.
在“间接”谈判中，美国中东特使、前参议院多数党领袖米切尔预计会在耶路撒冷的以色列官员和约旦河西岸拉马拉的巴勒斯坦官员之间穿梭。
Appearing with Clinton Thursday at a meeting of the American Jewish Committee, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel's right-leaning coalition government now sees a two-state solution of the Middle East conflict as a "compelling imperative." He said that is not as a favor to the Palestinians but to preserve Israel as a democratic, Jewish state.
以色列国防部长埃胡德·巴拉克和克林顿国务卿星期四一道出席了一次与美籍犹太人委员会的会议。席间巴拉克说，以色列右翼联合政府现在看到以两国并存的方式解决中东问题冲突是“强迫下的势在必行”。他说，这个政策并不是对巴勒斯坦的恩惠，而是为了保证以色列是一个民主的犹太国家。 |