VOA常速英语201--美国指责古巴不保护美国外交人员

The United States has ordered 15 Cuban officials to leave the Cuban embassy in Washington. The move came just days after the United States announced it would significantly reduce its embassy staff in Havana, leaving only emergency personnel to carry out core diplomatic and consular¹ functions. As a result, the United States issued a Travel Warning for U.S. citizens not to travel to Cuba.

美国已勒令15名古巴官员离开古巴驻华盛顿大使馆。此前几天，美国就宣布会大力削减美国驻哈瓦那的大使馆工作人员，只留下应急人员处理核心外交工作和使馆工作。最后，美国向美国公民发布了不要去古巴旅游的旅游警报。

The U.S. actions were in response to mysterious attacks which targeted numerous U.S. embassy employees over a ten-month period. The attacks began last year and continued into August. Twenty-two persons have been medically confirmed to have experienced physical harm from the attacks; their symptoms include hearing loss, dizziness, balance problems, headache, fatigue², cognitive³ issues and difficulty sleeping.

美国这样做是为了回应近10个月以来针对美国大使馆工作人员多次神秘的袭击行为。袭击始于去年，一直进行到8月。经医学确认，有22人在袭击中遭受了人身伤害，症状有听觉损失、眩晕、失衡、头痛、疲乏、认知问题、失眠。

The Cuban government has denied any involvement. It has been investigating the attacks and has been cooperating with the United States in its own investigation⁴. Both investigations⁵ continue. However, the source, methods and means of the attacks remain unknown. The United States decided⁶ to draw down the U.S. embassy personnel in Havana to limit the number of diplomats⁷ who could be exposed to harm.

古巴政府否认与袭击事件有关，并已展开独立调查，以及配合美国进行调查。两方面调查依然在继续。然而，据知情人士称，古巴政府的调查方法和方式无人知晓。美国决定削减美国驻哈瓦那大使馆工作人员的数量，以限制受伤害的外交人员的数量。

Referring to the expulsion of the Cuban officials from the United States, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a press statement, The decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. In addition, he said, This order will ensure equity⁸ in our respective diplomatic operations.

在提及驱逐古巴驻美国大使一举时，美国国务卿蒂勒森在一份新闻公报中表示，做这项决定是因为古巴没能采取合适的举措来保护其在《维也纳公约》中应履行的保护美国外交官的义务。蒂勒森表示，此外，这项命令将确保我们各自外交行动的平等性。

But the safety, well-being⁹ and security of its diplomatic personnel are the most important considerations of the U.S. government. Until the government of Cuba can assure that it can and will protect our diplomats, as it is required to do under the Vienna Convention, U.S. non-emergency embassy personnel will not return to Havana.

不过，外交人员的安全与福祉是美国政府最重视的方面。在古巴政府确保其能根据其在《维也纳公约》义务规定的那样保护我们的外交人员之前，美国的非应急外交人员是不会重返哈瓦那的。

1 consular   

a.领事的

参考例句：

• He has rounded out twenty years in the consular service. 他在领事馆工作已整整20年了。
• Consular invoices are declarations made at the consulate of the importing country. 领事发票是进口国领事馆签发的一种申报书。

2 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

3 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

9 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。