VOA慢速英语2015 美国和古巴大使馆重新开放

US, Cuban Embassies to Reopen 美国和古巴大使馆重新开放

The United States and Cuba will reestablish diplomatic relations and later this month will reopen embassies in Washington and Havana. President Barack Obama made the announcement on Wednesday.

美国和古巴将重建外交关系，本月晚些时候将分别在华盛顿和哈瓦那重开使馆，巴拉克·奥巴马总统周三宣布了该声明。

The decision is part of efforts to end years of conflicts between the two countries. The tensions began shortly after Fidel Castro overthrew¹ the Cuban government in 1959. Two years later, the United States ended relations with Cuba. And in 1962 it put in place an embargo², a complete end to trade.

该决定是为了终结两国之间多年的冲突，1959年菲德尔·卡斯特罗推翻古巴政府后不久，两国关系就紧张了。两年后，美国结束了与古巴的关系，1962年美国实施了禁运，彻底结束了两国贸易。

In December, Mr. Obama and Cuban dictator Raul Castro announced the two countries had agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations. Secret meetings had been taking place between representatives of the two countries since 2013. The two men met in April in Panama at the Summit of the Americas. And in May, the United States removed Cuba from its list of state supporters of terrorism.

去年12月，奥巴马和古巴独裁者劳尔·卡斯特罗宣布两国决定重建外交关系。自2013年以来，两国代表们就一直召开秘密会议。两人在4月份巴拿马举行的美洲峰会上会面，5月份，美国将古巴从支持恐怖主义的国家名单中移除。

Commercial air and ferry services between the two countries have been, or are being, restored. Restrictions³ on communications have been eased. American citizens may travel to Cuba, although there are limits on the reasons for their travel.

两国之间的商业航空和渡轮服务已经恢复，通讯限制也已解除。美国公民可以前往古巴旅行，尽管在其旅行理由上仍有限制。

But there are still issues the two countries must resolve. For example, it is still not legal for American products to be shipped to Cuba. However, President Obama has called for the trade embargo to be ended. And the United States believes Cuba must improve its human rights record. Last month, the United States released its yearly human rights report. It said Cuba does not respect basic freedoms. It said the Cuban government detains political opponents for no reason and limits its citizens’ ability to read independent information free of censorship.

但仍存在一些两国必须解决的问题，比如，目前美国商品运往古巴仍是非法的。然而，奥巴马总统呼吁结束贸易禁运，美国认为古巴必须改善其人权纪录。上月，美国发布年度人权报告，报告称古巴没有尊重基本的自由，称古巴政府无端逮捕政治反对派，并限制其公民阅读免受审查的独立信息的能力。

President Obama’s efforts to ease tensions between the two countries are not popular with his political opponents in Congress. Many Republican lawmakers say he is ignoring Cuba’s poor human rights record. The House and Senate, which are controlled by Republicans, could refuse to approve money to open an American embassy in Havana. They could block whoever Mr. Obama names as the new American ambassador to Cuba. Experts also say Congress is not likely to agree to end the economic embargo on Cuba. 

奥巴马总统着力缓解两国紧张的努力并没有得到国会中政治反对派的欢迎，很多共和党议员称古巴无视古巴糟糕的人权纪录。被共和党控制的众参两院可能会拒绝提供资金以供在哈瓦那开设美国使馆，他们可能会否决被奥巴马提名为驻古巴新大使的任何人选，专家称国会不可能同意结束对古巴的经济禁运。

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is a Republican member of the House of Representatives from the southern state of Florida, which is just 144 kilometers from Cuba. She is also a Cuban-American. She represents many Cuban refugees. On Tuesday, she released a statement that said a new U.S. embassy in Cuba will, in her words, “do nothing to help the Cuban people.” She said President Obama made the decision to improve relations with Cuba only because he wanted future historians to think well of him.

罗斯雷提南是来自南部佛罗里达州的众议院共和党人，佛罗里达州距离古巴只有144公里，罗斯雷提南是古巴裔美国人。她代表很多古巴难民，周二，她发布声明称在古巴的新美国使馆将“无助于古巴人民”。她说奥巴马总统之所以愿意改善与古巴关系，是因为他希望未来的历史学家给予他好的评价。

Nancy Pelosi is the top Democrat⁴ in the House of Representatives and a former Speaker of the House. She said the decision will help American businesses and families.

南希·佩洛西是众议院高级官员，也是参议院前议长，她说该决定将有助于美国商业和家庭。

Many nations and organizations support the decision. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called it an “historic step that will benefit peoples of both countries.” Switzerland said it will “contribute to security, stability and prosperity in the region.”

很多国家和组织都支持该决定，联合国秘书长潘基文称之为“将有益于两国人民的历史性步骤”，瑞士称这将“促进该地区的安全、稳定和繁荣”。

Words in The News

ferry – n. a boat that carries passengers usually from an island to the mainland

censorship – n. the act of limiting information that is considered harmful or not acceptable

region – n. a large geographical area

1 overthrew   

overthrow的过去式

参考例句：

• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
• They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。

2 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。