U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wrapped up talks in Brussels, where she attended a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. She is now Geneva for discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It seems the two sides have much to talk about.
美国国务卿克林顿结束了在布鲁塞尔北约外长会议的会谈。她接着前往日内瓦和俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫举行会谈，双方看来有许多议题要讨论。
Secretary Clinton was among those NATO ministers endorsing a resumption of high-level talks with the Russians, despite serious reservations expressed by some East European members.
克林顿是支持与俄罗斯恢复高层对话的北约外长之一，尽管还有一些北约的东欧成员对此表达了保留的态度。
In the end, those in favor won out and formal contacts within the Russia-NATO Council are to resume and a ministerial level meeting was announced as likely in the coming months.
不过在最后，采取支持立场的成员居于多数，因此在俄罗斯与北约理事会内部将恢复正式接触，而部长级的会谈也可能在未来几个月展开。
Clinton tried to reassure those who remain wary of a dialogue with Russia, saying U.S. policy is clear.
克林顿试图让那些对于同俄罗斯对话仍然有顾虑的人安心，她说，美国的政策非常明确。
"The United States will not recognize any nation having a sphere of influence over any other nation," Clinton said. "I reiterated again in our meetings with Ukraine and Georgia, the United States' firm commitment to each of those nations moving toward NATO membership and our equally strong commitment to work with them along with NATO that they should not be the subject of Russian intimidation or aggression."
克林顿说：“美国不会认同任何一个国家对另一个国家有涵盖一切的影响力。”
NATO's eastward expansion and the prospect of Georgia and Ukraine joining the Western alliance have angered Russia. Moscow's use of harsh military force against Georgia last August was widely seen as a warning against any further western encroachment into what Moscow considers its backyard.
北约向东扩展以及格鲁吉亚和乌克兰可能加入西方阵营的事态进展激怒了俄罗斯。莫斯科去年8月以强硬的军事手段对付格鲁吉亚，被普遍视为是对西方国家的警告。莫斯科将格鲁吉亚和乌克兰视为其后院，而把这两国加入北约看作是西方势力的入侵。
Russia's quick recognition of independence claims by the Georgian breakaway enclaves of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and possible plans for Russian military bases there have in turn angered the West.
俄罗斯迅速承认格鲁吉亚分离省份阿布哈兹及南奥塞梯，以及可能在那里设立俄罗斯军事基地的计划也激怒了西方国家。
NATO officials say the differences with Moscow are many, but should be discussed openly.
北约官员说，和俄罗斯之间还有许多分歧，不过应该以公开方式来讨论。
Secretary Clinton said one of the issues on the table for her meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva is the contentious one of U.S. plans for a missile defense system, partly based in Eastern Europe.
克林顿说，她和俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫要在日内瓦讨论的议题之一，就是美国计划设立部分部署在东欧的导弹防御系统，这是引发美俄争论的议题。
"We've made the case to Russia time and again and I will make it once more in Geneva, that Europe has a right to defend itself from the new threats of the 21st Century," she said.
克林顿说：“我们曾经多次向俄罗斯说明这个计划，而我现在要在日内瓦再说明一次，那就是欧洲有权利在面对21世纪新的威胁时捍卫自身的安全。”
Moscow sees missile defense as being aimed at Russia; the U.S. says the system is meant to guard against attacks by terrorist networks or regimes such as Iran.
莫斯科认为这种导弹防御是针对俄罗斯而来的；美国表示导弹防御系统是要防御来自恐怖集团或伊朗之类政权的攻击。
Iran's nuclear ambitions and the need for concerted international pressure to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons are also expected to come up.
这次会谈也将讨论伊朗的核野心以及国际间一致向德黑兰施压以促使伊朗停止获取核武器的努力。
"We will also raise with Russia their continuing discussions with Iran about selling longer-range missiles, which we think are a threat to Russia as well as to Europe and neighbors in the region," Clinton said.
克林顿说：“我们同时也会向俄罗斯提出他们继续与伊朗讨论出售远程导弹的问题。我们认为这对俄罗斯以及欧洲和附近的邻国都是一种威胁。”
Clinton said the offer for Russia to work with the U.S. on missile defense still stands.
克林顿说，美国对俄罗斯共同参与导弹防御系统的邀请仍然有效。
But, Clinton also noted many areas of common ground between the United States and NATO and Russia, including cooperation on Afghanistan, working together to combat terrorism, narcotics trafficking and piracy.
不过，克林顿也指出，美国、北约和俄罗斯在许多问题上立场一致，包括在阿富汗的合作、打击恐怖主义方面的通力协作、打击毒品走私及海盗行为等。 |