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The United Nations Secretary-General's special adviser¹ for Burma says he expects to return to the country "sooner rather than later."

联合国秘书长的缅甸事务特使易卜拉欣.甘巴里说，他预计不久就会重新访问缅甸。

U.N. envoy² Ibrahim Gambari says he is optimistic he will be able to return to Burma, "way before April."

他说，他对能在4月份之前返回缅甸感到乐观：

"You will recall the authorities there said they will receive me after the middle of April, after April 15," Gambari said. "But I think I have reason to believe they are reconsidering."

“缅甸当局曾经说过，他们将在4月15号之后会见我。不过我现在有理由认为，他们正在重新考虑。”

On Tuesday, Gambari completed two days of meetings with Chinese officials. He says he consulted with Chinese officials on how best to move forward in encouraging political reform in Burma.

甘巴里星期二结束了跟中国官员的会晤。他说，他和中国官员探讨了鼓励缅甸进行政治改革的最佳方式的问题：

"The Chinese government has been helpful in helping³ on my access, including encouraging the [Burmese] authorities to receive me as often as possible," Gambari said.

“中国政府一直在为我访问缅甸提供帮助，其中包括鼓励缅甸当局尽可能多地让我进入缅甸。”

Gambari last visited Burma in November, several weeks after the military government crushed mass demonstrations⁴ calling for democracy and political reform.

甘巴里最后一次访问缅甸是在去年11月，在那之前的几个星期，缅甸军政府刚刚镇压了一场要求民主与政治改革的大规模民众抗议示威。

He says the Burmese government's new plans for a May referendum on a new constitution, and for general elections in 2010 are "a significant step" toward democratic reform.

甘巴里说，缅甸5月举行宪法公决，并在2010年举行大选的新计划是迈向民主改革的重要一步。

But he calls on the ruling generals to make sure the referendum is credible⁵ for the Burmese people and the international community. That would include, he says, releasing political prisoners, such as opposition⁶ leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent years under house arrest. In addition, he says, the government needs to allow the public and the opposition to freely comment about the draft constitution.

甘巴里呼吁军人统治者确保宪法公决对缅甸人民和国际社会来说具有可信度。他说，那将包括释放政治犯，比如已经被软禁多年的反对派领袖昂山素季。另外，甘巴里说，缅甸政府必须允许公众和反对派人士对宪法草案自由发表意见。

Many critics say the referendum and election will do little to bring reform to the country, as it appears the draft constitution allows the military to retain significant control.

很多批评人士说，全民公决以及选举看起来都不会给缅甸带来什么改革，因为宪法草案允许军人继续掌握实权。

The military has ruled Burma since the early 1960s. It has become one of the poorest and most isolated⁷ countries in Asia. The United States, the European Union and other nations have imposed economic sanctions on the government, to push the military to allow democratic reforms.

自从1960年代初以来军人一直统治缅甸。现在缅甸已经成为亚洲最贫穷、最受孤立的国家之一。美国、欧洲联盟和其他国家向军人政权实行了经济制裁，以推动军人让缅甸进行民主改革。

Burma's Southeast Asian neighbors, along with China and India, however, have argued that political engagement and trade are better than sanctions in bringing reform.

不过中国和印度以及缅甸的东南亚邻国认为，推动缅甸实行改革更有效的方式是政治参与和贸易，而不是制裁。

The U.N. envoy next travels to Indonesia, Singapore and Japan to discuss Burma.

联合国特使甘巴里将前往印度尼西亚、新加坡和日本讨论缅甸问题。

At a regular briefing, the Chinese foreign ministry⁸ spokesman told reporters Beijing wants to see democracy, peace and stability in Burma, but opposes the use of economic sanctions to pressure the government.

中国外交部发言人在新闻发布会上对记者说，北京希望看到缅甸的民主、和平和稳定，但是反对利用经济制裁向缅甸政府施压。