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Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has made his first official trip to Washington to meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. During his visit, Smith made clear that the new Australian government will go ahead with its plan to withdraw its troops from Iraq within six months.

澳大利亚外交部长斯蒂芬.史密斯对华盛顿进行了他的首次正式访问，并会晤了美国国务卿赖斯。史密斯在访美期间明确表示，澳大利亚新政府将执行6个月内从伊拉克撤军的计划。

The withdrawal¹ of combat troops from Iraq was a key election pledge by Australia's new Labor² government.

从伊拉克撤回作战部队是新的澳大利亚工党政府在竞选期间做出的关键承诺。

The government plans to withdraw its 550 combat troops from the Persian Gulf³ by the middle of this year.

澳大利亚政府决定在今年夏季之前从波斯湾撤回550人的作战部队。

The decision reverses Australia's commitment to Iraq under former Prime Minister John Howard.

这一决定扭转了澳大利亚前总理霍华德曾经实施的致力于重建伊拉克的政策。

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, who has spent the past few days in Washington, confirmed the details of the withdrawal in his first meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

澳大利亚外长史密斯过去几天里一直在华盛顿访问。他在跟美国国务卿赖斯举行首次会晤时就证实了撤军的具体事宜。

Smith, the highest-ranking Australian official to visit Washington since last November's election, also met with U.S. Vice⁴ President Dick Cheney and Defense⁵ Secretary Robert Gates.

自从去年11月新政府当选以来，史密斯是出访美国的澳大利亚最高级别的官员。他还会晤了美国副总统切尼和国防部长盖茨。

Stephen Smith says the decision to withdraw forces from Iraq will not damage Australia's alliance with the United States.

史密斯说，从伊拉克撤军的决定不会影响澳大利亚与美国的盟友关系。

"We are sticking absolutely to the election commitment that we took to the Australian people," he said. "But I don't for one moment think that that in any way has any capacity to disturb either the good working relationship between the current administration and the new Australian government, nor to be anything of any significance in terms of a long-standing, enduring alliance which will last, in my view, for many, many years to come."

他说：“我们要坚定不移地兑现我们向澳大利亚人民做出的选举承诺，与此同时，我们从不认为这将在任何方面影响美国现任政府跟澳大利亚新政府之间的良好合作关系，也不认为这会给两国的长期盟友关系带来任何重大影响。我认为，在未来很多年里我们的盟友关系还会继续下去。”

Smith says Australia is considering other ways to help rebuild Iraq.

史密斯说，澳大利亚正在考虑以其他方式帮助重建伊拉克。

Despite its position on Iraq, the Australian government does support the U.S.-led campaign to stabilize⁶ Afghanistan.

尽管澳大利亚政府在伊拉克问题上的立场发生转变，但它仍然支持美国领导的稳定阿富汗局势的行动。

Canberra has hinted that it may boost its troop numbers there once the Iraq pullout is complete.

堪培拉暗示，一旦完成从伊拉克的撤军，澳大利亚有可能增兵阿富汗。

Australia has about 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, including 300 Special Forces commandos and a reconstruction⁷ task force.

澳大利亚在阿富汗驻有大约1千名驻军，其中包括300名特种部队军人和一支重建队伍。

Iraq has been a deeply unpopular war in Australia, where many believe it exposes the nation to greater danger of terror attack.

伊拉克战争在澳大利亚极为不得人心。很多人认为，这场战争给澳大利亚招致了恐怖袭击的更大风险。

The Labor government has been at pains to point out that it considers the alliance with the U.S. to be indispensable.

澳大利亚工党政府不厌其烦地强调，该政府认为跟美国的盟友关系是不可或缺的。

Formal security and defense ties between the two countries go back to the early 1950s.

两国间的安全与防卫的正式关系可以追溯到1950年代初期。