美国邀请古巴参加美洲峰会（在线收听）

美国邀请古巴参加美洲峰会

WHITE HOUSE— The Summit of the Americas normally receives little media attention in the United States. But this year is different because Cuba, unlike previous years, is invited to the gathering in Panama, which will take place April 10-11. U.S. officials say President Obama will interact with Cuban President Raúl Castro for the first time since announcing steps to normalize U.S.-Cuba relations.

The last Summit of the Americas, in Cartagena, Colombia in 2012, is remembered for a scandal involving U.S. Secret Service agents and prostitutes.

上届美洲峰会于2012年在哥伦比亚卡塔赫纳举行，之所以能被人记住，是因为与美国情报局和卖淫有关的丑闻。

This year’s main attraction will be Cuba. For the first time, a delegation from Havana will be at the table - something President Obama welcomes after his December announcement to end more than a half-century of isolation.

今年的主要亮点是古巴，来自哈瓦那的代表将首次参加会谈，奥巴马总统对此表示欢迎，去年12月他宣布结束与古巴50多年的隔离关系。

“Our shift in policy toward Cuba comes at a moment of renewed leadership in the Americas. This April, we are prepared to have Cuba join the other nations of the hemisphere at the Summit of the Americas,” said Obama.

“就在美洲重振领导地位之时，我们改变了对古巴政策，今年4月份，我们准备让古巴和西半球其他国家一道参加美洲峰会。”

It is by welcoming Cuba the U.S. hopes to renew its leadership role in Latin America - a role that has been waning due to what analysts say is U.S. economic weakness and the region’s increasing engagement with China and others.

美国希望通过欢迎古巴加入来重振其在拉美的领导地位，分析家称，由于美国经济的衰弱，以及该地区与中国等国家日益密切的交往，美国在该地区的领导地位正在被削弱。

U.S. isolation of communist Cuba has been an issue for Latin American governments for years. At the Cartagena summit, hemispheric leaders protested Washington’s exclusion of Havana from the gatherings.

多年来，美国对共产主义古巴的隔离一直是拉美国家政府面临的一个问题，在卡塔赫纳峰会上，西半球的领导人们抗议华盛顿将哈瓦那排除在峰会之外。

Michael Shifter heads the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington. He said the invitation of Cuba is a significant gesture.

迈克尔·谢夫特是华盛顿美洲国家对话组织负责人，他说邀请古巴参加是个颇具深意的举动。

“It has enormous symbolism over the last 50 years as the country that has been isolated by the United States, squeezed by the United States, not treated as a sovereign nation. So for Latin Americans, that’s very, very important,” said Shifter.

“这一举动有着重大的象征意义，因为过去50年来这个国家已经被美国所隔离，被美国排挤，没有得到主权国家的待遇。所以对拉美国家来说，这是非常非常重要的。”

But opponents of the U.S. rapprochement call Cuba’s participation at the summit a setback for democratic ideals in the region - even in a grouping that includes imperfect democracies like Venezuela.

但美国和解的反对者称古巴参加峰会是该地区民主理念的倒退，即使这个峰会上也有一些民主制度不完美的国家参加，比如委内瑞拉。

Frank Calzón of the Center for a Free Cuba in Washington said Cuba has not enacted democratic reforms and - unlike Venezuela - does not have an elected government.

华盛顿自由古巴中心的弗兰克说，古巴没有进行民主改革，而且与委内瑞拉不同的是，这个国家也没有选举出来的政府。

“There is a difference between an imperfect democracy that violates human rights and a totalitarian regime that has laws that in fact deny, under their own law, human rights,” said Calzón.

“一个侵犯人权的不完美民主制度和一个根据其自身法律否认人权的独裁政权是不能相提并论的。”

Cuba’s participation at the summit in Panama will be largely symbolic. Washington still lists Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. Wayne Smith, a retired diplomat who once worked at what was the U.S. Embassy in Cuba and later at the U.S. Interests section, said that needs to change before Cuba can be a full participant.

古巴参加巴拿马峰会在很大程度上是象征性的，华盛顿仍把古巴列为恐怖主义的国家赞助者。曾经就职于美国驻古巴使馆、后来就职于美国利益代表处的退休外交官维恩·史密斯说，在古巴成为峰会的全面参与者之前，这一现状需要得到改变。

“They can come to the summit but if we reach agreements at the summit that all the other members would be a party to, I’m not sure where that would leave Cuba and the U.S. There might be agreements that might be reached that we couldn’t be parties to with the Cubans,” said Smith.

“古巴人来到峰会上，但如果我们在峰会上达成协议，其他成员国都签署了协议，我不确定这将置古巴和美国于何地。可能会达成一些我们无法与古巴为伍的协议。”

President Obama wants Cuba off the terrorist list, but has yet to announce its removal.

奥巴马总统希望将古巴从恐怖分子名单中删掉，但尚未宣布何时实施。

Experts say having Cuba at the table in Panama is a big - if only symbolic - step in the long road to full normalization of ties.

专家称古巴参加巴拿马峰会一事，即使不具有象征意义，也是恢复关系全面正常化道路上的一大进步。