据反对派人士称，叙利亚反政府武装正与俄罗斯进行秘密谈判，以结束在阿勒颇(Aleppo)的战斗，这一事态显示美国在中东一些最关键的冲突中如何可能受到排挤。

　　Four opposition members from rebel-held northern Syria told the Financial Times that Turkey has been brokering talks in Ankara with Moscow, whose military intervention on the side of President Bashar al-Assad has helped turn the five-year civil war in the regime’s favour.

　　来自叙利亚北部反政府武装地盘的四名反对派成员告诉英国《金融时报》，在土耳其的斡旋之下，他们在安卡拉与莫斯科方面谈判；俄罗斯为支撑巴沙尔.阿萨德(Bashar al-Assad)总统而进行的军事干预，使这场五年内战的战局朝着有利于现政权的方向转变。

　　Russia is now backing regime efforts to recapture the rebel’s last urban stronghold in Syria’s second city of Aleppo.

　　目前俄罗斯正在叙利亚第二大城市阿勒颇的战场上，支持叙利亚政府军夺回反政府武装占据的最后一块城市地盘。

　　The Russians and Turks are talking without the US now.

　　俄罗斯人和土耳其人正在没有美国参与的情况下商谈。

　　It [Washington] is completely shut out of these talks, and doesn’t even know what’s going on in Ankara, said one opposition figure, who asked not to be identified.

　　华盛顿方面被完全排除在这些谈判以外，甚至不知道在安卡拉发生了什么，要求匿名的一名反对派人士说。

　　US President Barack Obama’s administration has provided limited training and weaponry for the rebels but had been hesitant to give forceful backing that could turn the tide in the opposition’s favour.

　　美国总统巴拉克.奥巴马(Barack Obama)领导的行政当局为叙利亚反政府武装提供了有限的训练和武器，但一直不愿给予有力支持，使战局朝着有利于反对派的方向转变。

　　President-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly signalled willingness to back Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s efforts to shore up the Assad regime, arguing they are working to stamp out Islamic extremists.

　　与此同时，当选总统唐纳德.特朗普(Donald Trump)多次发出信号表示，愿意支持俄罗斯领导人弗拉基米尔.普京(Vladimir Putin)扶持阿萨德政权的努力，辩称他们正致力于消灭伊斯兰极端分子。

　　While the secret contacts are not the first time a rebel representative has met with the Russians, those familiar with the talks said it was the first time such a large number of opposition groups were involved.

　　虽然上述秘密接触并不是反政府武装代表第一次与俄方人员见面，但熟悉会谈情况的几名人士称，这是首次有多个反对派组织参与会谈。

　　However, the negotiations are riven by the tensions between Ankara and Moscow.

　　然而，这些谈判也受到安卡拉和莫斯科之间紧张关系的困扰。

　　Russia confirmed on Wednesday that Mr Putin spoke with Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the Turkish leader said he was seeking Mr Assad’s overthrow.

　　俄罗斯周三证实，在雷杰普.塔伊普.埃尔多安(Recep Tayyip Erdogan)扬言要推翻阿萨德之后，普京曾与这位土耳其领导人沟通。

　　A Turkish official, who asked not to be named, said talks over an Aleppo ceasefire were derailed after Mr Erdogan’s comments caused a Russian delegation to abruptly cut off talks while waiting for Mr Erdogan and Mr Putin to speak.

　　一名要求匿名的土耳其官员透露，埃尔多安的言论促使俄罗斯代表团当场退出谈判，等待普京和埃尔多安交谈。这个节外生枝的插曲使阿勒颇停火计划落空。

　　Though the talks have made little progress, they underline the shifting political dynamics in the Middle East.

　　虽然谈判进展不大，但它们突显了中东不断变化的政治动态。

　　Regional actors now seem more willing to bypass Washington to seek out pacts with Russia, which is keen to develop the image of a rising power that can help broker such deals.

　　该地区的各股势力如今似乎更愿意绕过华盛顿，寻求与莫斯科直接打交道，而莫斯科也热衷于打造一个不断崛起的大国的形象，能够帮助撮合此类协议。

　　The fierce Russia-backed aerial assault has nearly flattened Aleppo.

　　俄罗斯支持的猛烈空中打击几乎把阿勒颇夷为平地。

　　In the past week regime forces have made steady advances, capturing more than a third of rebel-held districts.

　　在过去一周，政府军稳步推进，夺取了三分之一以上的反政府武装控制区。

　　Yaser Alyoussef, spokesman for the Nour al-Din al-Zinki brigades, a rebel group, called the talks consultations, not negotiations, adding they were ongoing but had so far been unsuccessful.

　　反政府组织努尔丁.赞吉运动(Nour al-Din al-Zinki)发言人亚西尔.优素福(Yasser al-Youssef)形容此轮会谈是磋商，而不是谈判，他补充称，会谈还在进行中，但迄今没有成功。

　　There are consultations with the Russians through Turkish mediation to calm things down and bring in essential goods into the city, he said.

　　在土耳其方面调解下，与俄罗斯人进行了磋商，以平静局势，使必需品能够运入该市。

　　Even if just a single bag of rice could come in.

　　他说，即使只有一袋大米可以运进来。

　　At this point everything is needed, from food and fuel to medicine.

　　眼下什么都是需要的，从粮食、燃料，到药品。

　　None of those who spoke about the talks would clarify if the rebels met the Russians face-to-face or indirectly, with Turkish officials mediating.

　　在介绍会谈情况的人士中，没有人愿意澄清叙利亚反政府武装与俄方人员是面对面交谈，还是通过斡旋的土耳其官员传话。