引自紐約時報：
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/world/asia/
12kyrgyz.html?_r=1&ref=world&pagewanted=print
June 12, 2009
Kyrgyzstan Insists U.S. Base to Close
吉爾吉斯坦堅持關閉美空軍基地
By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ
MOSCOW — Kyrgyzstan appeared Thursday to rebuff an appeal by
President Obama for closer cooperation as Washington sought to retain
an American air base that provides a key staging area for the war in
Afghanistan.
美國總統歐巴馬先前提議，為提供美軍阿富汗戰爭的集結所需，
華府冀望與吉爾吉斯坦建立更緊密合作關係，以保留吉國境內一處空軍基地。
然此提議本週四遭吉國斷然回絕。
In February, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev gave the United States six
months to leave the Manas Air Base, a decision that was seen as
influenced in part by Russia, which pledged a $2 billion loan to the
impoverished Central Asian country.
俄羅斯給予這個位處中亞的貧窮國家 20 億美元貸款，
而吉國總統巴基耶夫今年 2 月決定要求美方 6 個月之內撤離馬那斯空軍基地，
各方咸認是受到俄羅斯影響。
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Kadyrbek Sarbayev said there were no
plans to reverse that decision, despite the appeal by Mr. Obama, who,
according to the Kyrgyz government, sent a letter to Mr. Bakiyev
seeking greater cooperation between the two countries. American
officials in the region had no immediate public comment on the
Kyrgyzstan government’s statement.
根據吉國外長薩巴耶夫表示，美國總統歐巴馬曾致函吉國總統巴基耶夫，
提議兩國進行更深切的合作，然而目前吉國仍無任何撤回該決定的規劃。
駐吉國的美方官員尚未對此發表公開談話。
“The decision to abolish the agreement on the military air base,
Manas, has been made, and there is no turning back from this,” Mr.
Sarbayev told the Kyrgyz online news agency, www.24.kg.
薩巴耶夫向吉爾吉斯線上新聞媒體 www.24.kg 表示：
「廢止馬那斯空軍基地協議的決定已經做成，不會回頭走」
Closing the base could hamper the war effort in Afghanistan. Mr.
Obama has authorized an additional 30,000 American troops to go there
in the next two years.
歐巴馬已經批准在未來 2 年內增兵 3 萬美軍駐守阿富汗，
關閉該空軍基地將使美軍在阿富汗的戰事受牽制。
The United States has used Manas as a staging point since the war in
Afghanistan began in 2001. The base has played an important role for
NATO, providing a refueling stop and transit hub for thousands of
troops and 500 tons of cargo each month.
自從 2001 年阿富汗戰爭開始後，美軍利用馬那斯基地作為集結點，
該基地對北約而言相當重要，是中繼補給站與轉運中樞，
每月轉運數千名美軍與 500 噸貨物。
The United States pays about $17.4 million annually to rent the base,
but also provides $150 million a year in aid.
美國每年支付 1740 萬美元租用該基地，另外提供吉國每年 1 億 5 千萬美金的金援。
Kyrgyzstan’s leaders have complained that the United States had
failed to compensate the government adequately for use of the base.
Relations were also strained when an American serviceman killed a
Kyrgyz truck driver on the base in 2006.
吉國領導人抱怨，美國並未對使用該基地付出適當的報酬。
2006 年美軍殺害基地裡一位吉國卡車司機的事件更讓兩國關係緊張。
Washington has signaled a willingness to negotiate to keep the base
open.
華府已釋放訊息，表達有意開啟協商維持該基地運作。
Mr. Bakiyev’s office announced Thursday that Mr. Obama had sent a
letter to Mr. Bakiyev thanking “the people and the leadership of
Kyrgyzstan for their efforts in stabilizing the situation in
Afghanistan and the fight against international terrorism and drug
trafficking.”
吉國總統辦公室週四發布歐巴馬來信，「感謝吉國人民與領導者在穩定阿富汗
局勢、對抗國際恐怖主義，以及反毒品交易等方面的努力」。
“Barack Obama expressed his desire to strengthen various forms of
cooperation between the United States and Kyrgyzstan,” a statement
released by Mr. Bakiyev’s office said.
吉國總統辦公室聲明：「歐巴馬表達強化美、吉雙方多元合作的想法與企圖」。
The letter did not mention the Manas base, but said Mr. Obama would
soon send high-ranking officials for negotiations.
該信文中並未提及馬那斯基地，但歐巴馬表示將盡快派遣高層官員前往協商。
Ilin M. Karypbekov, a spokesman for Mr. Bakiyev, said the Kyrgyz
leader received the letter and ordered his government to draft
recommendations for Mr. Obama that “will be formulated on the basis
of Kyrgyzstan’s national interests.” But he reaffirmed that no
negotiations would be held with regard to Manas.
吉國總統的發言人卡利貝可夫表示，吉國領導人收到信件後，
已要求吉國政府起草一份建議書給歐巴馬，
內容表示合作關係「將以吉國國家利益為基礎」。
但卡利貝可夫重申，馬那斯基地不會在協商談判的議題中。
The United States military has not begun closing down operations at
Manas, a military spokesman at the base said.
美軍基地發言人表示，美軍迄今尚未開始撤離行動。
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