The United States said Monday the government of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe cannot be considered legitimate in the absence of a presidential runoff election. In the wake of opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai's forced departure from the campaign, the Bush administration is pushing for action in the U.N. Security Council.
美国星期一表示,津巴布韦政府的穆加贝总统,在不经过总统决选的情况下,就不能被认为是合法的总统。在反对党候选人茨万吉拉伊被迫退出竞选之后,布什政府正在敦促联合国安理会采取行动。
The State Department is expressing understanding for Mr. Tsvangirai's decision to quit the race, and deep disappointment that the Mugabe government made a free and fair runoff election impossible with its violent campaign against the opposition.
美国国务院对茨万吉拉伊退出竞选的决定表示理解,而且对穆加贝政府通过对反对党采取暴力手段而使自由及公正的决选不可能举行表示十分失望。
In a written statement, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it is abundantly clear that President Mugabe is determined to thwart the will of the Zimbabwean people, and that the United States condemns the violence in the strongest terms.
赖斯国务卿在一份书面声明里说,非常明显,穆加贝总统决意挫败津巴布韦民众的意志,美国对这种暴力行为予以最强烈的谴责。
Rice said the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF party must work together on behalf of the Zimbabwean people and said the Mugabe government "cannot be considered legitimate" in the absence of a runoff.
赖斯说,反对党争取民主变革运动和穆加贝总统的执政党必须为了津巴布韦人民而进行协作。她还说,不举行决选,穆加贝政府就不能被认为是合法的政府。
The Secretary further said Mr. Mugabe and his government have forsaken the most basic tenet of government, the protection of its people, and must be held accountable by the international community.
赖斯国务卿说,穆加贝及其政府已抛弃了作为政府的最基本信条,即保护本国人民,国际社会务必责成他们对此负责。
In a talk with reporters, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said that Rice's remark about the legitimacy of the Mugabe government is a statement of the obvious, given the situation.
国务院发言人凯西向新闻记者发表谈话说,赖斯有关穆加贝政府合法性的讲话在目前形势下是显而易见的。
"Can we stop with the legal niceties here? This is a government that has no legitimacy in the eyes of its people, in the eyes of the United States or in the eyes of the international community absent a free and fair election," he said. "That's what it means. And whether there will be policy consequences to that or not depends on the action that this government takes in light of our statements, in light of actions in the Security Council, and in light of the discussions they're having with other regional leaders."
凯西说:“鉴于这种情况我们是否可以不必作严密的司法考证了?这个政府缺乏自由公正的选举,因此在本国人民的眼里、在美国及国际社会的眼里都丧失了合法性,那就是赖斯讲话的意思。这是否会影响决策取决于津巴布韦政府听了我们的评论,看到安理会的行动并且与本地区领袖进行讨论后,会采取什么步骤。”
Casey said in addition to measures taken by the international community, the United States could augment sanctions it already has in place against Mr. Mugabe and key associates.
凯西说,除了国际社会采取的措施之外,美国也可能在现有对穆加贝及其主要帮凶的制裁措施的基础上增加新的制裁。
But he ruled out the withdrawal of U.S. Ambassador James McGee from Harare, saying his presence is needed to gauge the situation on the ground and maintain contact with the besieged opposition.
但是凯西排除了撤回美国驻哈拉雷大使詹姆斯.麦基的可能性。他说,大使有必要驻守在那里,以便判断当地的局面并与陷于困境的反对党保持联系。
Casey said the United States had no role in Mr. Tsvangirai's decision to pull out of the runoff but is supportive of it under the current conditions, which he said are making Zimbabwe's president an international political pariah.
凯西说,美国并没有影响茨万吉拉伊作出退出决选的决定,但是在目前形势下支持他这样做。他说,目前情况使得穆加贝总统遭到国际政坛的唾弃。
"All I can say is it must be a very dark and scary place where Robert Mugabe is right now politically, because it's abundantly clear by actions of his government that neither he nor any of those supporting him believe that he would win a free in a and fair election, if they are re resorting to this kind of violence as a response," he said.
他说:“我所能说的只是穆加贝目前的政治处境必然相当黑暗恐怖,因为他政府的行动很明显地表明,要是他们通过这样的暴力作出反应的话,不管是他或者任何支持他的人都不相信,他能在自由和公正的选举中赢得胜利。”
Casey did not specify what steps the Bush administration wants the world community to take, but that its initial expectation is for a so-called president's statement from the U.N. Security Council condemning the Harare government.
凯西没有具体说明布什政府希望国际社会采取什么步骤,但是初步期望是要联合国安理会发表所谓的“主席声明”,谴责哈拉雷政府。
South Africa among others had resisted bringing the issue to the Security Council but Casey said the latest developments have brought a "change in tone" by regional leaders once protective of Mr. Mugabe.
南非等国曾经抵制把这个问题提交安理会,但是凯西说,最近的事态发展已改变了地区领袖们的“口气”,而这些领导人一度是保护穆加贝的。 |