The foreign ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan are scheduled to take part in the Obama administration's strategic review of South Asia policy here in Washington this week. The three-party talks come on the heels of a peace agreement between Islamabad and Taliban elements that allows for the implementation of Islamic law in Pakistan's Swat Valley.
巴基斯坦和阿富汗外交部长这个星期将在华盛顿参加奥巴马政府对南亚政策的战略审查。这次美国、巴基斯坦和阿富汗三国共同参与的审查是在巴基斯坦政府和塔利班份子达成和平协议，允许在巴基斯坦的斯瓦特山谷实行伊斯兰法律之后进行的。
Prior to leaving for Washington, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he believes he can allay U.S. concerns over the agreement that allows Islamic law in the Swat Valley.
巴基斯坦外长沙阿.马哈茂德.库雷希在前往华盛顿之前表示，他相信他可以就允许在斯瓦特山谷实行伊斯兰法律一事减轻美方的关切。
Last week, the U.S. special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, said he had conveyed American concerns to Pakistani authorities. Holbrooke, who recently toured the region, said Pakistan's President Ali Zardari sought to assure him that the agreement is an "interim" measure aimed at stabilizing the region. Holbrooke said the Pakistani leader agrees that the militants in the region pose a danger not only to Pakistan, but also to the United States.
上星期，美国派往巴基斯坦和阿富汗的特使理查德.霍尔布鲁克表示，他已经向巴基斯坦当局转达了美方的关注。霍尔布鲁克最近刚刚访问了那一地区。他说，巴基斯坦总统扎尔达里试图让他相信，那项协议是为了维护斯瓦特山谷地区的稳定而采取的一项“临时性”措施。霍尔布鲁克还说，巴基斯坦总统同意，那一地区的激进份子不仅对巴基斯坦，同时也对美国构成威胁。
NATO has also expressed concern about the agreement, saying it could create a safe haven for extremists. Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has praised the agreement, saying it is in line with his government's policy of dialogue, development and deterrence.
北约也对这项协议表达了关注。北约表示，这项协议可能导致那一地区成为极端份子的藏身之地。而巴基斯坦总理吉拉尼则对协议的达成表示赞扬，说这项协议和巴基斯坦政府的对话、发展和阻遏的政策是一致的。
On Sunday, Pakistani Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas defended Islamabad's decision to negotiate with the militants.
星期天，巴基斯坦军方发言人阿巴斯少将为伊斯兰堡同激进份子进行谈判的决定进行了辩护。
"One must allow these strategies to work to achieve the end goal. The end goal remains the same - the return of peace, tranquility in the [Swat] Valley. That is the end goal," he said. "If it is not being achieved or if it or if it is being achieved at a very heavy cost, which is politically not sustainable, then the government must look for other options. Should the other options not work, the use of force option is always there. The military is not being pulled out of the valley, it is still there. The option would remain available to the government."
他说：“人们必须给这样的战略一个施展的机会，以便达到最终目标。我们的最终目标仍然不变，那就是在斯瓦特山谷地区恢复和平与稳定。如果我们不能达到这一目标，或者说我们要付出很大的代价才能实现这一目标，那在政治上是难以为继的，那么政府必须寻找其他选择方案。如果其他方案也不能奏效，那么使用武力的选择总是存在的。我们的军队还没有撤离山谷地区，部队仍然驻扎在那里，政府仍然可以使用这一方案。”
Abbas added that the Pakistani military effort in the northwest Swat region is hampered by a lack of what he called "sophisticated" equipment, including attack helicopters and surveillance equipment.
阿巴斯少将补充说，巴基斯坦军方在斯瓦特西北地区维护稳定的努力由于缺少他所说的“先进的”设备而遭受阻碍，这样的设备包括攻击直升机和侦察设备。
U.S. State Department Spokesman Gordon Duguid said last week that Washington is not surprised by the agreement between the militants and the Pakistani government.
美国国务院发言人戈尔登.杜吉德上个星期表示，华盛顿对激进份子和巴基斯坦政府达成这项协议并不感到惊讶。
"These types of deals have happened before. The direction of events in the Swat Valley is not going in a positive way. What we do want to see is results. We have spoken to the Pakistanis. The ambassador [Richard Holbrooke] has spoken to the Pakistanis. They understand that the threat of terrorism is a threat to them as well as to us," said Duguid. "What we're working toward is a way in which we can all address this common problem. That is part of our review. That is part of what we'll be talking to the Pakistanis about when the delegation arrives here."
杜吉德说：“过去也达成过类似的交易。斯瓦特山谷的形势并不是在朝积极的方向发展。我们希望看到的是结果。我们和巴基斯坦人谈过。霍尔布鲁克大使和巴基斯坦人谈过。他们知道，恐怖主义不光对巴基斯坦，同时也对我们构成威胁。我们正在努力做的是找到我们可以共同解决这一问题的方式。这是我们的战略审查的一部分。当巴基斯坦代表团抵达华盛顿以后，这就是我们要和他们讨论的问题的一部分。”
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Afghan counterpart, Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, are scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of a U.S. policy review panel this week. The panel is tasked with developing proposals on how to improve the security situation in Afghanistan. The proposals that emerge are expected to be shared with U.S. allies in the region.
巴基斯坦外长库雷希和阿富汗外长兰金.达德法尔.斯潘塔定于这个星期会见美国国务卿希拉里.克林顿以及美国政策审查小组的成员。这个小组的任务是提出改善阿富汗安全局势的建议。预计他们最终提出的建议将和美国在那一地区的盟国分享。 |