U.S. President Barack Obama and his visiting Egyptian counterpart, Hosni Mubarak, have expressed optimism over the possibility of moving forward on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Mr. Mubarak has made his first visit to the White House in more than five years. Mr. Obama talked with Mr. Mubarak about efforts to move the Middle East peace process forward.
埃及总统穆巴拉克五年多以来首次造访白宫。美国总统奥巴马与穆巴拉克就推进中东和平进程举行了会谈。
With reports that Israel is quietly moving to halt new housing projects in the West Bank, Presidents Obama and Mubarak spoke of encouraging signs in Mideast peace efforts. Mr. Obama cautioned, however, that much more work lies ahead for Israel and the Palestinians.
最近有报导称以色列正在悄悄停止在约旦河西岸建造新的住房项目，美国总统奥巴马和埃及总统穆巴拉克表示，这是中东和平进程中的令人鼓舞的迹象。但是，奥巴马警告说，以色列和巴勒斯坦仍有很多工作要做。
"If all sides are willing to move off of the rut that we are in currently, then I think there is an extraordinary opportunity to make real progress," Mr. Obama said. "But we are not there yet."
“如果各方都愿意改变现状，那么我认为，现在是取得实质性进展的‘绝佳时机’。但现在我们还没有进展到这一步。”
President Mubarak also encouraged the Israelis and Palestinians to keep talking.
穆巴拉克通过翻译说，他鼓励以色列和巴勒斯坦继续对话。
"We are speaking in a good manner, and we are moving into the right direction," Mr. Mubarak said. "But the two parties need to sit together, and this, then, will give hope that there is a possibility of finding a solution to the Palestinian issue."
他说，“我们现在说得很好，我们现在前进的方向也正确。但双方需要一起坐下来，那样才会给大家带来希望，可能会找到解决巴勒斯坦问题的办法。”
Mr. Mubarak's visit to the Oval Office marks an improvement in U.S.-Egyptian relations. The two countries' ties had been strained over previous U.S. President George W. Bush's pressure on Egypt to improve its record on democracy and human rights.
穆巴拉克的访美标志着美国和埃及关系的改善。在前美国总统布什向埃及施压要求其改善民主和人权问题时，两国关系一度紧张。
Professor Denis Sullivan, director of the Middle East Center at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, says Mr. Obama's visit to Cairo in June was the first sign that relations between the two countries were improving.
波士顿的东北大学中东问题研究中心主任丹尼斯.沙利文教授说，奥巴马6月份访问开罗是两国关系开始改善的第一个迹象。
"He was not just warmly welcomed, he was enthusiastically welcomed in Egypt, and continues to be a popular public figure, and there is great hope in Egypt for improved relations between the two countries," Sullivan said.
“奥巴马在埃及受到的欢迎不仅仅是热烈的，而是热情洋溢的，他仍是一个大受欢迎的公众人物，埃及人民对改善两国关系抱有极大的希望。”
The Egyptian leader reassured Mr. Obama that his government has started to enact democratic reforms, and will continue to do so.
穆巴拉克向奥巴马重申，埃及政府已经开始实施民主改革，并将继续下去。
Although Sullivan calls Mr. Mubarak's record on human rights and democracy "horrible," he says it is important for the U.S. and Egypt to maintain their 30-year strategic partnership.
尽管沙利文教授认为穆巴拉克以前在人权和民主问题上的记录“非常糟糕”，但他说，美国和埃及维持两国间30年来的战略伙伴关系至关重要。
"This is where I think the Egypt-U.S. relationship is critical," Sullivan said. "From my vantage point, they do see eye-to-eye on the peace process as a whole, and how both countries are critical to advancing that peace process."
“这就是为什么我认为埃及和美国的关系至关重要。以我的观点，埃及和美国在中东和平进程问题上的确已达成共识，并认识到在推进和平进程上两国的作用都很关键。”
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says Tuesday's meetings were part of the Obama administration's outreach to Arab countries as part of an effort to advance the Middle East peace process.
白宫新闻秘书罗伯特.吉布斯说，星期二的会谈是奥巴马政府为推进中东和平进程寻求阿拉伯国家支持的一部分。
The two presidents also discussed Iraq and the Iranian nuclear program, as well as cooperative efforts on health, education and the economy.
两国总统还讨论了伊拉克和伊朗核项目问题，以及在医疗、教育和经济领域进行合作的问题。 |