President Bush says economic matters will take center stage in meetings this week with European leaders.
布什总统说，经济问题是他这次欧洲之行跟欧洲领导人讨论的核心问题。
What is expected to be President Bush's last major trip to Europe comes amid slow U.S. economic growth, skyrocketing energy prices, and a weak dollar.
美国经济发展减缓、能源价格扶摇直上、美元对欧元不断贬值 - 布什总统就是在这个背景下开始了他作为美国总统的最后一次主要的欧洲之旅的。
As he left the White House, Mr. Bush said Americans are understandably concerned about pocketbook issues, and that there are things the United States and Europe can work on together to chart a better future.
布什总统告诉新闻记者，美国人担心自己的钱包越来越扁是可以理解的。但是他强调，在有些事情上，美国和欧洲可以共同努力， 走向一个更加美好的未来。比如，双方可以采取共同行动来解决能源价格高涨的问题。
"We will remind our friends and allies overseas that we are all too dependent on hydrocarbons," he said. "We must work to advance technologies to help us become less dependent on hydrocarbons."
布什总统说：“我们将提醒我们的朋友和海外盟友，我们全都太依赖碳氢化合物(化石燃料)了。我们必须努力推动技术进步，来帮助我们减少对于碳氢化合物的依赖。”
In addition to encouraging less consumption of fossil fuels, Mr. Bush repeated his call to open an ecologically-sensitive region in Alaska for oil drilling in order to boost U.S. crude supplies.
除了呼吁减少化石燃料的消耗之外，布什总统还再次呼吁开放在阿拉斯加州生态敏感区进行石油开采，以提高美国国内的原油供应。
The president said the United States is committed to a strong dollar, which he said is in America's interests and will benefit the global economy. During the Bush presidency, the U.S. dollar has lost roughly half its value against the euro.
布什总统还说，美国坚持强势美元政策，因为这对美国和整个世界都有好处。在布什担任美国总统期间，美元对欧元几乎贬值了一半。
The president said the U.S. economy has continued to grow despite what he termed "unprecedented challenges." He expressed confidence that a stimulus package that includes rebate checks to American taxpayers will help boost U.S. economic performance in the months to come.
布什总统表示，美国经济在前所未有的挑战面前一直持续增长。相信美国联邦政府的经济刺激方案，其中包括向美国纳税人提供退税款，将在今后的几个月帮助振兴美国经济。
Mr. Bush's trip begins with an annual summit of the United States and the European Union in Slovenia. He will also visit Germany, Britain, France, Italy and the Vatican.
布什总统这次欧洲之行的第一站是在斯洛文尼亚出席美国和欧盟举行的年度峰会。然后他将访问德国、英国、法国、意大利和梵蒂冈。
Aside from economic matters, Mr. Bush said he will thank European nations for troop commitments and other initiatives in Afghanistan, where he said much work remains to be done. |