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　　United Nations member states met informally on Thursday to begin talks on key issues of reforming the body's powerful Security Council. Many countries want to see the 15-member council expanded to include broader regional representation and additional permanent members.
联合国成员国星期四举行非正式会议，开始讨论有关联合国安全理事会改革的一些关键问题。许多成员国都希望看到扩大目前由15个理事国组成的安理会，加强地区代表性，并增加常任理事国的数目。
The subject of Security Council reform and expansion is not new. It has been discussed along these corridors for more than 15 years. But on Thursday, member states finally met to get down to business.
安理会的改革和扩大并不是新话题。有关安理会改革的问题，各国代表们已经在走廊里议论了15年多。这个星期四，他们终于开始坐下来讨论安理会改革事宜了。
Diplomats¹ say the private meeting was devoted² mostly to procedural issues and that substantive³ negotiations⁴ will begin early next month.
外交官们表示，这次不公开的会议主要讨论了程序性事务，对实质问题的谈判将从下个月初开始。
At issue is the makeup⁵ of the Security Council's membership, who gets veto power, regional representation, how big an enlarged council would be and what would be its working methods, and the relationship between the Security Council and the 192-member General Assembly.
最关键的问题是安理会的组成，哪些国家享有否决权，地区代表性，扩大后的安理会的规模究竟有多大，安理会的工作方式，以及安理会和由192个成员国组成的联合国大会的关系是什么。
In the past, regional rivalries⁶ and national interests have stalled the process and it remains⁷ to be seen whether that will happen again.
过去，地区竞争和国家利益使改革过程停滞不前，这样的情况是否会再现，人们仍然拭目以待。
Pakistan's Ambassador, Husain Haroon, is optimistic, saying there has been a great deal of divisiveness in the past, but that views are starting to converge⁸.
巴基斯坦常驻联合国大使侯赛因·哈伦对安理会改革感到乐观。他说，过去在这个问题上有很多不同意见，而现在，人们正在开始取得共识。
"I think the negotiations, despite the worst pundit⁹ beliefs, I think will go well," said Haroon. "And I think people are going to listen to each other. And I think that if we work in that spirit of cooperation, we'll have a much better United Nations."
哈伦说：“尽管所谓权威人士对改革并不看好，但是我认为谈判将会进展顺利。我认为人们将倾听别人的意见。我还认为如果大家都以合作的精神一起工作，我们就会有一个更好的联合国。”
Strong regional powers Germany, Japan, India and Brazil have long-sought permanent seats on an expanded 25-member Security Council, but without immediate¹⁰ veto rights. African Union countries are also seeking to permanent seats council.
地区强国德国、日本、印度和巴西一直在努力寻求在扩大的、由25个国家组成的安理会中得到不立即享有否决权的常任理事国席位。非洲联盟国家也在寻求常任理事国的席位。
A separate proposal put forward by a group of mid-ranking countries seeks an additional 10 non-permanent seats on the council, doubling the current number.
而由一批中层国家提出的另一项议案则建议把目前的非常任理事国席位翻番，也就是说从现在的10席增加到20席。
The United States has said it would support Japan and Germany joining the council as permanent members. In the text of her statement to the closed-door meeting, U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said the United States believes that the long-term viability¹¹ and legitimacy¹² of the Security Council depends on its reflecting the world of the 21st century.
美国表示支持日本和德国成为安理会常任理事国。美国驻联合国代表苏珊·赖斯在向不公开会议提供的书面声明中表示，美国认为安理会的长久活力和合法性取决于它是否能够代表21世纪的世界。
The council's balance of power still largely reflects the state of the world following World War II, with Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States holding permanent veto-wielding seats. Ten other countries are elected to two-year terms.
安理会目前的权力平衡依然反映着第二次世界大战结束后的世界格局。英国、中国、法国、俄罗斯和美国是享有否决权的五大常任理事国。其他10个理事国每两年选举产生。
Substantive negotiations on the issues of membership, veto power and regional representation will start on March 4.
有关理事国、否决权和地区代表性等实质性问题的谈判将从3月4日开始。