VOA双语新闻：8、古巴将参加美洲峰会 美古互动是看点（在线收听）

古巴将参加美洲峰会 美古互动是看点

The Summit of the Americas normally receives little media attention in the United States. But this year is different because Cuba, unlike previous years, is invited to the gathering in Panama, which will take place April 10-11. U.S. officials say President Obama will interact with Cuban President Raúl Castro for the first time since announcing steps to normalize U.S.-Cuba relations.

美洲峰会在美国通常很少受到媒体关注。但今年有所不同，因为与往年不一样的是，古巴将受邀参加于4月10日到11日在巴拿马举行的峰会。美国官员说，自宣布美古关系正常化以来，总统奥巴马将首次与古巴国务委员会主席劳尔·卡斯特罗互动。

The last Summit of the Americas, in Cartagena, Colombia in 2012, is remembered for a scandal involving U.S. Secret Service agents and prostitutes.

上一届美洲峰会于2012年在哥伦比亚卡塔赫纳举行。那次峰会让人记忆最深刻的事件是美国特勤局人员招妓丑闻。

This year’s main attraction will be Cuba. For the first time, a delegation from Havana will be at the table - something President Obama welcomes after his December announcement to end more than a half-century of isolation.

但今年吸引人们目光的将会是古巴。哈瓦那代表团将第一次坐到会议桌前。这是美国总统奥巴马所乐见的。去年12月，他宣布结束美国长达半个多世纪的孤立古巴的政策。

“Our shift in policy toward Cuba comes at a moment of renewed leadership in the Americas. This April, we are prepared to have Cuba join the other nations of the hemisphere at the Summit of the Americas,” said Obama.

奥巴马说：“我们古巴政策的转变正值我们在美洲重树领导力的时刻。接下来的4月，我们准备好让古巴与半球其他国家一起参加美洲峰会。”

It is by welcoming Cuba the U.S. hopes to renew its leadership role in Latin America - a role that has been waning due to what analysts say is U.S. economic weakness and the region’s increasing engagement with China and others.

正是通过欢迎古巴，美国希望在拉丁美洲重树领导角色。由于一些分析人士所说的美国经济疲软以及美洲地区与中国及其他国家的接触日益加深，美国的领导角色一直在减弱。

U.S. isolation of communist Cuba has been an issue for Latin American governments for years. At the Cartagena summit, hemispheric leaders protested Washington’s exclusion of Havana from the gatherings.

多年以来，美国对共产党古巴的孤立一直引起拉美各国政府的不满。在卡塔赫纳峰会上，拉美领导人抗议华盛顿将哈瓦那排除在会议之外。

Michael Shifter heads the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington. He said the invitation of Cuba is a significant gesture.

迈克尔·史福特（Michael Shifter）是华盛顿智库“美洲对话”（the Inter-American Dialogue）的负责人。他说，邀请古巴是一个重要姿态。

“It has enormous symbolism over the last 50 years as the country that has been isolated by the United States, squeezed by the United States, not treated as a sovereign nation. So for Latin Americans, that’s very, very important,” said Shifter.

他说：“这有巨大的象征意义。过去50年来，这个国家一直被美国孤立和排挤，而且不被看作一个主权国家。因此，对拉丁美洲人来说，那是非常、非常重要的。”

But opponents of the U.S. rapprochement call Cuba’s participation at the summit a setback for democratic ideals in the region - even in a grouping that includes imperfect democracies like Venezuela.

但反对美古缓和关系的人士说，古巴参加峰会是美洲地区民主理念的倒退。不过与会国家已经包括像委内瑞拉这样并不完美的民主国家。

Frank Calzón of the Center for a Free Cuba in Washington said Cuba has not enacted democratic reforms and - unlike Venezuela - does not have an elected government.

总部在华盛顿的组织“自由古巴中心”（the  Center for a Free Cuba）的弗兰克·卡尔松（Fank Calzón）说，古巴还未实行民主改革，而且跟委内瑞拉不一样，连民选政府都没有。

“There is a difference between an imperfect democracy that violates human rights and a totalitarian regime that has laws that in fact deny, under their own law, human rights,” said Calzón.

他说：“侵犯人权的不完美民主国家与立法来剥夺人权的集权政权是不一样的。”

Cuba’s participation at the summit in Panama will be largely symbolic. Washington still lists Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. Wayne Smith, a retired diplomat who once worked at what was the U.S. Embassy in Cuba and later at the U.S. Interests section, said that needs to change before Cuba can be a full participant.

古巴参加巴拿马峰会很大程度上具有象征意义。华盛顿仍然将古巴列为支持恐怖主义的国家。退休的外交官维尼·史密斯（Wayne Smith）曾在当时的美国驻古巴大使馆供职，之后在美国驻古巴利益代表处工作。他说，必须改变这点，古巴才能充分参与进来。

“They can come to the summit but if we reach agreements at the summit that all the other members would be a party to, I’m not sure where that would leave Cuba and the U.S. There might be agreements that might be reached that we couldn’t be parties to with the Cubans,” said Smith.

他说：“他们能来峰会，但是如果我们达成了所有其他成员国都参与的协议，我不确定那会把古巴和美国置于何处。有可能达成协议，但我们却不能跟古巴共同签署。”

President Obama wants Cuba off the terrorist list, but has yet to announce its removal.

奥巴马总统想要把古巴从恐怖主义名单上除名，但还未对此进行宣布。

Experts say having Cuba at the table in Panama is a big - if only symbolic - step in the long road to full normalization of ties.

专家们说，让古巴坐到巴拿马的会议桌前，即使是象征性的举措，也是在美古关系全面正常化的漫漫长路上迈出的一大步。