Analysts Say Middle East Top Priority for Obama Administration
中东问题是奥巴马面临的严峻挑战

　 
One of the major foreign policy challenges facing the Obama administration will be how to revive the Middle East peace process. Senior Correspondent André de Nesnera spoke with three former senior U.S. government officials about the situation in the Middle East. The interviews were conducted before the current violence between Israeli forces and the militant group Hamas which controls the Gaza strip.

奥巴马政府面临的一个主要外交政策方面的挑战是如何重启中东和平进程。美国之音同三名前美国政府高级官员讨论了中东地区的局势。这些采访是在以色列军队和控制加沙的激进组织哈马斯最近发生暴力之前进行的。

Most analysts agree the incoming Obama administration faces a daunting task in trying to find a peaceful solution to the Middle East crisis. For eight years the Bush administration has been trying to resolve that issue - but with little success.

大部分分析人士认为，对即将上任的奥巴马政府来说，为中东地区危机找到和平的解决办法是一个艰巨的任务。在过去八年中，布什政府一直在努力解决中东问题，但是并没有取得什么成果。

Former National Security Adviser (1974-77;1989-93, retired Air Force) General Brent Scowcroft says Barack Obama must get involved in the Middle East early in his presidency.

曾担任美国国家安全事务顾问的空军退休将军斯考克罗夫特说，奥巴马必须在执政初期就参与解决中东问题。

"I certainly hope so. There will be a lot of people saying don't do it," he said. "Presidents in the past have foundered on the peace process issue - so it's too dangerous."

他说：“我当然希望他会这样做。有许多人说不要这样做，他们说，过去有许多总统都在中东和平进程上失败了，因此这是一个非常危险的任务。”

For his part, former Secretary of State (1992) Lawrence Eagleburger says the issues that need to be resolved are immense.

曾在1992年担任美国国务卿的伊格尔伯格说，需要解决的问题是巨大的。

"I'm not at all certain that any involvement by anybody at any time is going to solve the problems of Israel and the Palestinians and the terrorists," said Eagleburger. "It is an almost insoluble problem. Every time some Palestinian or someone on that side of the fence moves to try to come to grips with the issue and make compromises, either they end up dead or they're ousted from office. It's the intransigence of a part of the Palestinian side of the fence - some of the people in that group just are intent on never having a solution to the thing, but driving Israel to the sea at some point."

他说：“我根本就不能肯定任何人在任何时间做任何事能解决以色列、巴勒斯坦和恐怖分子的问题。这几乎是一个不可解决的问题。每次巴勒斯坦或以色列有人采取行动，试图认真对待和平问题并作出一些妥协，这些人的下场不是死就是被赶下台。巴勒斯坦方面就是不妥协，一些巴勒斯坦人就打算永远不解决巴以和平问题，而是想把以色列逼入绝境。”

Former National Security Advisor Scowcroft believes that for progress to be made in the Middle East, the United States must talk to Hamas, the largest and most influential Palestinian militant movement, which controls the Gaza strip.

前国家安全事务顾问斯考克罗夫特认为，要想在中东问题上取得进展，美国必须同哈马斯谈判。哈马斯是巴勒斯坦最大、最有影响力的激进组织，目前控制着加沙地区。

"I think we should be open to negotiate with anybody. It's much harder to solve problems if you don't talk to people," added Scowcroft. "And you don't necessarily solve problems by talking to them. But at least you open up the avenues, you understand what the hard sticking points are and how to resolve some. And you see if there is a chance for progress and if so, what kind."

他说：“我认为，我们应该同任何人进行谈判。如果你不和人家谈判，那解决问题就要难得多。可能通过谈判并不一定能解决问题，但是至少你打开了这个渠道，明白阻碍进展的障碍是什么，以及如何解决它们。你要看清是否有取得进展的机会，如果有，是什么性质的机会。”

The Bush administration has rejected any talks with Hamas, describing it as a terrorist group.

布什政府一直拒绝同哈马斯进行谈判，认为哈马斯是一个恐怖组织。

Eagleburger says the U.S. shouldn't talk to Hamas.

伊格尔伯格说，美国不应当同哈马斯谈判。

"I find it very difficult to conceive of or to approve talking to such an enemy - and that's what they are. I don't think we are likely to achieve much," he said. "On the other hand, I am prepared to concede to those who argue that we should be talking to these people - we're certainly not getting anywhere the way it is now. On balance, I don't think we should do it because it is giving Hamas a position that I don't think they deserve, and that is that the United states is prepared to talk to them. But I think it's a close call."

他说：“我很难想象或同意同这样的一个敌人进行谈判，哈马斯就是这样的敌人。我不认为通过和他们谈判我们能取得很大的成果。在另一方面，我也可以接受那些主张同哈马斯谈判的人的意见，因为我们目前的做法没有解决任何问题。总之，我不认为我们应该同哈马斯谈判，因为如果美国同哈马斯谈判就等于是给哈马斯一个他们没有资格得到的地位。我觉得这是一个比较冒险的做法。”

Former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger (1973-1975) believes the United States will continue to abide by its "no talks with Hamas" policy.

曾在1973年到1975年担任美国国防部长的施莱辛格认为，美国会继续奉行“不同哈马斯谈判”的政策。

"I don't see any likelihood that we are going to significantly change our position. We might have, as we have in the past - as you may recall that the Palestinian organization [Palestine Liberation Organization led by Yasser Arafat] was talked to privately during the Carter administration - but never admitted publicly until the story blew. And if we were to talk to Hamas, it would be on a very devious route and not for public consumption," said Schlesinger.

他说：“我觉得我们不太可能在这一问题上明显地改变立场。我们过去也许曾这样做过，比如在卡特政府时期美国曾私下同巴勒斯坦解放组织进行谈判，不过直到这件事被曝光以前，我们都没有公开承认。如果美国要和哈马斯谈判，那将会是通过间接渠道来进行，不会公布于众。”

During the presidential election campaign, Barack Obama said he does not support negotiations with Hamas until it renounces terrorism and recognizes Israel's right to exist. Analysts say it will be interesting to see, given the violence between Hamas and Israel, if he will maintain his position once he is inaugurated president January 20.

奥巴马在竞选过程中说，在哈马斯放弃恐怖主义并承认以色列的生存权之前，他不会支持同哈马斯进行谈判。分析人士们说，由于哈马斯和以色列再次爆发了冲突，人们很想知道的是奥巴马在明年1月20号就职之后是否还会坚持原来的立场。