Although President Obama has yet to detail his Russia policy, the Kremlin says it is receiving positive signals from his administration about the prospects for resetting the relationship between Moscow and Washington. But Russian civic activists are concerned Mr. Obama may pursue pragmatic policies that could advance bilateral interests, but not the principles of democracy in their country. Our Moscow correspondent takes a closer look at some of the issues involved in President Obama's upcoming visit to Russia.
虽然奥巴马总统还没有制定出他的俄罗斯政策细节，但是克里姆林宫方面表示，他们已经收到了奥巴马政府重新设定莫斯科与华盛顿关系的积极讯号。但是，俄罗斯的公民活动人士担心，奥巴马可能会为了追求推进美俄双边共同利益，而不坚持促进在俄罗斯落实民主原则。
In May, President Obama told visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the United States and Russia have an excellent opportunity to reset the bilateral relationship on many issues.
今年5月，奥巴马总统对来访的俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫表示，美国和俄罗斯现在有绝佳的机会可以在许多议题上重新设定双边关系。
"…from nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation; the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan; how we approach Iran; how we approach the Middle East; commercial ties between the two countries; and, how we address the financial crisis that has put such a strain on the economies of all countries around the world," Mr. Obama said.
奥巴马总统说：“从核武器和核扩散，阿富汗和巴基斯坦局势，如何对待伊朗，如何对待中东问题，两国间的商业关系，以及我们如何解决这使得全世界所有国家都压力沉重的金融危机，等等。”
Foreign Minister Lavrov responded favorably.
俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫对此热切回应说：
"I think we work in a very pragmatic, businesslike way, on the basis of common interests whenever our positions coincide; and, on the basis of respect to each other whenever we have disagreements, trying to narrow those disagreements for the benefit of our countries and international stability," Lavrov said.
“我想，我们以一种非常实际的方式，像谈生意的方式进行合作；以我们共同利益为基础的合作。而且，当我们的意见相左时，我们彼此尊重，尝试为两国的利益和国际的稳定来缩小我们的鸿沟。”
One major common interest is reducing nuclear arsenals. The U.S. and Russian presidents are to receive a progress report on a new agreement to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Progress on START could lead to closer cooperation on other issues -- says Viktor Kremenyuk, of Moscow's USA-Canada Institute.
一个主要的共同利益是减少核武器。美国和俄罗斯总统将收到一份有关取代战略武器裁减条约的新协议进展报告。莫斯科的“美国加拿大研究所”研究员克雷门约克说，战略武器裁减条约的进展将可以导致在其他议题上进一步合作。
Kremenyuk says he thinks Mr. Obama is doing the right thing in making offensive strategic weapons and a new START treaty his priority. The analyst says, if this issue can be resolved, it can open the possibility of addressing other problems -- problems such as preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons -- a top U.S. foreign policy priority. Also up for grabs is the proposed missile-defense system, which Moscow strongly opposed when the Bush Administration proposed deployment in Central Europe.
他说，他认为，将攻击性战略武器和制定新的战略武器裁减条约列为优先，奥巴马总统做对了。这位分析家表示，如果这项问题能够得到解决，就有可能解决其他问题，像是防止伊朗获得核武器这类问题。伊朗获得核武器的问题是美国外交上的头号优先。其他的问题还包括拟议中的导弹防御系统。布什政府建议在中欧部署的时候，莫斯科强烈反对。
Police in Russia often use force to break up opposition demonstrations, raising the question of how the Kremlin deals with dissent and human rights. Russian civic activists say the issue should be at the top of Mr. Obama's agenda, but fear it will not.
俄罗斯警察经常用武力驱散反对派示威，使得人们关切克里姆林宫究竟是怎样处理反对派和人权。俄罗斯公民活动人士表示，这项议题应该是奥巴马总统议程的优先，但是他们担心可能不是。
In March, President Medvedev met in the Kremlin with former U.S. Senators Chuck Hagel and Gary Hart -- members of the bipartisan Commission on U.S. Policy Toward Russia. Although the commission urges Mr. Obama to raise human rights, it also recommends he respect Russia's sovereignty, history and traditions.
今年3月，俄罗斯总统在克里姆林宫会见前美国参议员哈格尔和哈特，他们俩都是美国对俄罗斯政策的两党委员会成员。虽然这个委员会敦促奥巴马总统对俄罗斯提出人权问题，但是也强调，俄罗斯的主权、历史和传统应该受到尊重。
Igor Klyamkin, of the Liberal Mission Foundation in Moscow, told VOA the commission may be parroting the rhetoric of Kremlin officials, without regard for the hidden meaning of their words.
莫斯科“自由任务基金会”的克雷金说，这个委员会也许在言辞上讨好克里姆林宫官员，没有提及他们言辞背后所隐藏的意思。
Klyamkin says what they mean is that democracy and rule of law are alien to Russia; that its values and traditions are autocratic and authoritarian rule. The activist says, by using the same words [as the Kremlin], Americans indicate agreement with that kind of Russia.
克雷金表示，他们真正的意思是，民主和法治对俄罗斯来讲是外来物，俄罗斯的价值和传统是集权和集权统治。这位活动人士说，借着使用和克里姆林宫一样的言辞，美国暗示和那样的俄罗斯意见一致。
Viktor Kremenyuk agrees his country must democratize, if it is to modernize its economy. But he says outside pressure could be counterproductive.
克雷门约克同意，俄罗斯如果要将经济现代化，必须民主化。但是他也表示，外来的压力只会产生反效果。
Kremenyuk says the idea of democratization has not had much of a response in Russia; it has not gotten through to ordinary people or to those in power. He adds that to demand observance of certain rules under such conditions will look like fundamental interference in the internal affairs of Russia.
克雷门约克说：“民主化这个想法在俄罗斯并没有太多的回应。这个想法并没有在一般人或权力阶层生根。”他并且补充说，在这样的情况下要求对特定的统治进行监督，将会使人看起来像是对俄罗斯内部事务的根本干涉。
A report by the U.S. Russia Commission says Moscow's war with Georgia and its pressure on Ukraine have been troubling, but cautions against making the region a political battlefield that could have dangerous unintended consequences. Igor Klyamkin says an authoritarian Russia has an interest in an unstable Ukraine, to demonstrate that democracy does not work.
Klyamkin says that approach encourages preservation of an authoritarian regime in Russia, which does not correspond with the country's national interests.
During the American presidential campaign, candidate Barack Obama said the United States should not shy away from pushing for more democracy and transparency in Russia. How hard he pushes as president should become clear when he visits the country, next month. |