U.S. officials are denying reports that they are abandoning efforts to negotiate an agreement on the future of U.S. forces in Iraq, saying they will soon respond to Iraqi proposals for changes in the draft, and that some changes may be possible.
美国有关官员否认关于美国放弃就驻伊拉克美军未来部署进行谈判的报导，这些官员说，他们将很快对伊拉克提出的草案修改意见做出回应，而且一些修改可能获得通过。
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said U.S. negotiators in Baghdad could be in touch with Iraqi officials this week with a response to their proposed changes, and she said some of the Iraqi requests might be accepted. "There might be some that we can support. There might be some that we would not be able to support. I will just let the negotiators work that out with them privately."
白宫新闻发言人佩里诺说，美国在巴格达的谈判人员本周内将同伊拉克有关官员接触，对伊拉克提出的修改意见作出回应。她还说，美国可能会接受伊拉克提出的一些要求。她说：“我们可能会支持一些意见，可能不会支持另外一些意见。我将让谈判人员同伊拉克官员在私下解决这些问题。”
U.S. officials have not confirmed what the Iraqis are asking for, but news reports said a firm date for a full U.S. troop withdrawal is among the requests.
美国有关官员并没有证实伊拉克方面提出了哪些要求，不过新闻报导说，伊拉克的一项要求是为美军全部撤离设定一个确定的日期。
Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said U.S. officials are eager to hand over full responsibility for security to the Iraqis, but he said that can not be done on a firm timetable.
美国国防部发言人惠特曼说，美国官员期待把全部安全责任交给伊拉克人，不过他说，这不可能通过一个确定的时间表来实现。
He said, "We share a common interest in turning over security functions and activities to the Iraqis as soon as they are ready to take those activities over. And our position with respect to timelines is well known, that we should have goals that are out there, that we work towards, but at the end of the day we have to be cognizant of the conditions on the ground, too."
他说：“一旦伊拉克方面作好准备，我们就将把全部安全责任和行动交给他们，这对双方都有好处。大家都很清楚我们在时间表问题上的立场，那就是，我们应当有目标，我们要为目标而努力，但是归根结底我们还必须要认识到前线的具体情况。”
At the White House, Dana Perino said it is in the interest of both countries to reach an agreement, and recent events demonstrate the need to be cautious about removing U.S. troops.
白宫发言人佩里诺说，达成协议对美、伊两国都有好处，而且最近发生的事表明，双方都要对美军撤出伊拉克持谨慎态度。
She said, "Just this past week even though they have made great strides, they have had some terrible violence up in the Mosul area. And we are trying to help their security forces beef up enough so that they are competent and confident enough to repel terrorists or insurgents who are trying to disrupt the political system there."
她说：“就在过去的一周里，虽然伊拉克方面取得了巨大的进步，但是在摩苏尔地区出现了十分糟糕的暴力行为。美国正试图帮助伊拉克军队加强实力，使伊拉克军队有足够的能力和信心击退那些试图破坏政治系统的恐怖分子和暴乱分子。”
Another issue in dispute is reportedly the degree of immunity U.S. troops would have from prosecution in Iraqi courts. Perino said the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, and his team will likely respond to the Iraqi proposals this week.
据报导，双方的另一项分歧是美军在伊拉克法庭享受诉讼豁免权的程度。佩里诺说，美国驻伊拉克大使克罗克和他的团队可能会在本周内答复伊拉克在这一问题上提出的建议。
Both officials who spoke Monday denied news reports the United States is abandoning the negotiations with Iraq and turning its attention to getting a renewal of the U.N. authorization for U.S. troops to be in the country, which expires at the end of the year. The Pentagon has said U.S. troops would have to cease operations at midnight December 31st if there is no agreement or U.N. extension, but Perino said no one in Washington is contemplating such a thing.
佩里诺和惠特曼都否认关于美国放弃同伊拉克的谈判并把注意力转向延长联合国授权，从而使美军在原授权于今年底到期后继续驻留在伊拉克的新闻报导。美国国防部说，如果两国不能达成协议，联合国授权也没有得到延长，那么美国军队必须在12月31号午夜前停止行动，不过佩里诺说，华盛顿没有任何官员在考虑接受这种选择。
U.S. and Iraqi negotiators reached the draft agreement last month after seven months of negotiations. Top U.S. officials have said some changes might be possible, but not major changes.
美国和伊拉克的谈判人员经过7个月的协商在上个月达成了一项协议草案。美国高级官员曾表示，可能会对草案做出一些修改，但将不是重大修改。 |