VOA双语新闻 Britain, Italy Agree on Africa Issues for...（在线收听）

Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain and Italy share common views on the agenda for the summit of leading industrial nations later this year. He says the two countries are in agreement on the way forward for Africa and climate change. Mr. Blair and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi held a joint press conference Friday at the end of their talks in Rome.

英国首相布莱尔说，英国和意大利对今年下半年主要工业国首脑会议的议事日程持相同立场。 布莱尔说，英国和意大利对非洲问题和世界气候变化问题的发展前景意见一致。星期五，布莱尔和意大利总理贝卢斯科尼会谈结束时在罗马联合举行新闻发布会。

British Prime Minister Tony Blair described his talks with the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, as "friendly and constructive". He said the two countries agreed on all the key issues and bilateral relations between Italy and the United Kingdom are in strong shape.

英国首相布莱尔说，他与意大利贝卢斯科尼的会谈是“友好和具有建设性的”。布莱尔说，英国和意大利对关键的问题都持相同的观点，两国的双边关系十分稳固。

"We work together in many different places in the world," Mr. Blair said. "We share many of the same perspectives, both in terms, for example of economic reform in Europe and the importance of it and the importance of the trans-Atlantic alliance with America."

布莱尔说：“我们在世界很多地方都在进行合作。在很多问题上，比如在欧洲经济改革以及大西洋两岸同盟关系的重要性等问题上，我们都持有相同的立场。”

Mr. Blair said he discussed the agenda of the upcoming G-8 summit of leading industrial nations plus Russia in Scotland in July. He said Mr. Berlusconi agreed with him on the way forward both in respect of Africa and climate change. Mr. Blair said the plight of the African continent has been on the G-8 agenda for a long time.

布莱尔说，他讨论了今年7月即将在苏格兰举行的工业八国集团首脑会议的议事日程。俄罗斯也将参加这次会议。内布莱尔说，在非洲和世界气候变化的前景问题上，贝卢斯科尼同意他的观点。布莱尔说，长期以来，非洲大陆的困境一直在工业八国集团的议事日程上。

"The purpose of the plan for Africa this year however is to try and put all the different aspects of the problem of Africa, not just that of aid and debt, but also that of governance and conflict, to put all those items together in a comprehensive plan that allows us to help that continent which is the only continent anywhere in the world that has gone backwards in the last 30 years," he said.

布莱尔说：“今年讨论非洲计划的目的是努力把非洲面临的各种问题集中在一个全面的计划中，以便我们能帮助这个大陆。非洲的问题不但包括援助和债务问题，而且还包括政府管理和冲突问题。在过去30多年里，非洲是世界上唯一一个在退步的大陆。”

The two leaders also discussed issues affecting Europe just as Britain prepares to take on the European Union's six-month rotating presidency and international issues, namely the Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq.

目前，正当英国即将担任为期半年的欧盟轮值主席国之际，英国和意大利两国领导人讨论了一些影响欧洲的问题和中东、阿富汗和伊拉克等国际问题。

Mr. Blair said Iraqi democracy has begun and progress is being accomplished particularly in the south of the country. He paid tribute to Italian forces for their courage and commitment which, he said, is deeply valued by the allies.

布莱尔说，伊拉克的民主已经开始，而且已经取得进展，特别是在伊拉克南部。布莱尔对意大利军队的勇气和决心表示赞赏。布莱尔说，盟国非常重视意大利军队的贡献。

The British prime minister said that as Iraq is being helped to establish democracy, efforts are also being made to build the capability of its security forces. As that capability grows, he added, the need for foreign troops to do the security work will diminish. The timetable for that, Mr. Blair stressed, is set by the job being done.

布莱尔说，国际社会在协助伊拉克建立民主的同时还协助伊拉克建立强大的安全部队。随着伊拉克安全部队力量的增强，外国军队留在伊拉克、提供安全的必要性就会减少。布莱尔说，外国军队撤离伊拉克的时间表取决于在伊拉克的工作成果。

"Everybody envisages a time when Iraq is not just a sovereign country and a democratic country but a country capable of looking after its own security with this terrorism and insurgency defeated," he added.

布莱尔说：“每个人都期待着有一天，伊拉克不但是一个拥有主权的民主国家，而且有能力保卫自己的安全，打败恐怖主义和暴乱分子。”

Mr. Blair said it's a very tough struggle to help Iraq towards democracy but it is an important struggle not only for the country, but for the region and the world.

布莱尔说：“帮助伊拉克实现民主是个艰难的使命。但是这是一场重要的斗争，这不仅关系到伊拉克的未来，还关系到中东地区和整个世界的未来。”