South Korea is sending its chief trade official to Washington for what he describes as "additional" negotiations on a controversial beef import deal. However, leaders of mass protests say nothing short of scrapping the deal and restarting negotiations will be acceptable.
韩国首席贸易谈判代表将前往华盛顿与美方就有争议的进口美国牛肉问题展开“附加谈判”。但是因为进口牛肉问题而发动抗议的人士表示，除非撤销美国牛肉的进口或重新与美国谈判，他们不会接受其他任何解决方案。
South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon told reporters in Seoul he will leave Friday for Washington, where he plans to ask for help in adjusting the explosive April deal to resume American beef imports.
韩国首席贸易谈判代表金钟勋在首尔向记者表示，他将在星期五出发前往华盛顿，与美方贸易代表就4月份达成的一项全面恢复美国牛肉进口的合约进行商讨。
He calls the planned talks "additional negotiations." He will look for ways to limit American beef imports to meat from cattle under 30 months of age, as a way to end massive protest rallies.
他说：“这项谈判将是附加谈判，他将寻求办法缩减美国牛肉进口的范围，到只进口年龄不超过30个月的小牛牛肉，希望能平息韩国国内大规模的街头抗争。”
South Korean protesters fear U.S. beef - especially from cattle more than two-and-a-half years old -- poses a risk of transmitting a fatal brain ailment known as "mad cow disease." Tens of thousands of people have gathered in central Seoul, almost nightly for about a month - culminating in Tuesday's massive rally that appeared to include about 100,000 people.
示威者担心美国牛肉，特别是年龄超过30个月的牛的牛肉，因为较老的牛患疯牛病的危险性更高。过去一个月来，已经有上万名群众几乎每晚聚集在首尔中部，星期二的游行有大约十万名示威群众参加。
Washington has asserted American beef, of any age, is safe. That view was supported last year by the United Nations World Organization for Animal Health. No human has ever been known to contract brain disease from eating U.S. beef. South Korea's scientific community has been conspicuously absent from the highly politicized protest movement.
华盛顿已经强调，美国牛肉不管牛的年龄如何，都是安全的。去年联合国世界动物卫生组织也已经证实这个说法。目前还没有出现任何人因为吃了美国牛肉而感染疯牛病。韩国的科学界对这个高度政治化的抗议活动，明显保持距离。
American lawmakers have warned the resumption of U.S. beef imports to South Korea is a prerequisite for ratifying a much larger trade deal the two countries signed last year. Minister Kim, who was South Korea's chief negotiator in the deal, says he does not want to create the appearance his country is breaking its promises.
美国国会议员警告，韩国恢复进口美国牛肉是批准两国在去年达成的大笔贸易协定的先决条件。韩国贸易部长兼首席谈判代表金钟勋说，他不希望给美方一种韩国打破承诺的印象。
He says the wise course of action would have the same effect as a renegotiation, without damaging South Korea's international credibility.
他说：“现在的行动和重新展开谈判有一样的效果，但是这样做比较不会伤害韩国的国际形象。”
He says his mission is to seek a "voluntary" agreement between importers and exporters that would keep older beef from being shipped.
金钟勋还说：“他的任务是在进出口国间寻求一个‘自愿’的协议，以期禁止进口年龄超过30个月的牛的牛肉。”
Analysts say such an agreement could be backed by government assurances and spelled out in the form of some new document to be signed by both countries. U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow said Thursday "additional understandings" are likely to emerge between the two countries "in a matter of days."
分析人士说，这样的协议可以获得双边政府的保证，并且由两国签署一些新的文件。美国驻韩国大使弗什博星期四说，未来几天，美韩两国可望达成“附加了解”。
That may not be enough to satisfy protesters, for whom the beef issue has become a touchstone for a host of grievances against South Korean President Lee Myung Bak. Protest leaders have vowed to continue holding the mass gatherings until at least next week.
但是这些可能都无法使韩国示威群众满意，对他们来说，美国牛肉问题已经成为他们对新总统李明博不满程度的试金石。他们誓言将继续示威到至少下个星期。 |