VOA慢速英语:Comment Could Settle Syria Crisis or Make it Worse

What seemed like an unplanned comment about Syria's chemical weapons had a major effect on world events this week. American Secretary of State John Kerry spoke last Monday at a press conference in London. He was reacting to questions about possible American action to answer a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria. One reporter asked the secretary whether there is anything Syria's president can do to avoid an American military strike.
本周，一段关于叙利亚化学武器看似无意的评论对全球事件产生了重大影响。美国国务卿约翰•克里上周一在伦敦举行的记者招待会上发言，他就美国对叙利亚疑似化学武器攻击可能会采取什么行动回答了问题。一名记者问到，叙利亚总统是能做什么来避免美国的军事打击。

"Sure, he can turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week."
“当然，他可以在下周将其所有的化学武器上交给国际社会。”

Mr. Kerry made clear he was speaking theoretically, and did not expect anything like that to happen.
克里先生明确表示，他只是从理论上这么说，并没有指望这样的事情会发生。

"But he is not about to do that, cannot be done, obviously."
“但明显，他没打算那么做。”

But Russia seized on the idea and persuaded Syria to do the same. That brought plans for American congressional votes on military action to a halt. It also led France to suggest a United Nations Security Council resolution on chemical weapons in Syria. President Obama has said he would accept a diplomatic solution if it can be carried out. But that would likely take weeks, at least.
但俄罗斯捕抓到了克里的这个想法，并说服了叙利亚那样做。这使得美国国会的军事行动投票计划停顿。它还导致法国就叙利亚化学武器提出了一项联合国安理会决议。奥巴马总统称，如果这能被执行，他将接受外交途径解决。但那样做可能至少需要几个星期的时间。

Some officials in the United States and overseas are concerned. They fear that Syria and Russia will use Mr. Kerry's comment to direct attention away from the reported chemical attack and to avoid American action.
美国和海外的一些官员很担忧。他们担心叙利亚和俄罗斯会利用克里先生的评论将全球注意力从已报道的化学武器攻击上转移开，以避免美国采取行动。

Mr. Obama has said the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be punished for violating the nearly century old ban on the use of chemical weapons. He called for American action to prevent future use of chemical weapons in Syria. He proposed limited airstrikes on government targets. The airstrikes could happen quickly if Congress approves.
奥巴马先生曾说，叙利亚阿萨德政权违反了近百年来的化学武器使用禁令，必须受到惩罚。他呼吁美国采取行动，以防止叙利亚未来继续使用化学武器，并提出对叙利亚政府目标进行有限空袭。如果国会批准，空袭可能很快就会进行。

Joanna Kidd is a security expert with London's King's College. She says any move to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control would take a long time, if it could be done at all.
Joanna Kidd是伦敦国王学院的专家。她说，如果全部能做到，任何将叙利亚化学武器置于国际控制下行动都需要很长时间。

"It is a job that would take several months to do. And, of course, one should not forget that obviously there is a civil war going on in Syria, which would greatly complicate the process."
“该工作可能需要几个月的时间。当然我们不应该忘记，叙利亚显然正在进行一场内战，而该过程也将被复杂化。”

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons could provide inspectors to document controls on Syria's chemical weapons. But experts say there may not be enough inspectors to cover all of Syria. And they say the organization may not be willing to send them into the middle of the civil war.
禁止化学武器组织可以提供检查人员记录管理叙利亚的化学武器。但专家称，可能没有足够多的检查人员来覆盖整个叙利亚。他们还说，该组织可能不会愿意将检查人员送到叙利亚的内战中。

Late this week, the Syrian government took its first step toward joining the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. The convention bans the development, production and use of chemical weapons. Until now, only seven countries, including Syria, have failed to approve the treaty.
本周晚些时候，叙利亚政府迈出了加入1993年《禁止化学武器公约》的第一步。该公约禁止发展、生产和使用化学武器。到目前为止，只有包括叙利亚在内的7个国家未批准该条约。

Mr. Assad says his country is now ready to give its approval. But he says Syria cannot be "brought to the final stage" while it is under the threat of an American missile strike.
阿萨德先生称，他的国家已经准备好批准该条约。但他说，如果叙利亚处于美国导弹袭击的威胁之下，将无法推进到最后阶段。

In a related development, Secretary Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Geneva. Mr. Kerry said they held what he called "constructive" talks on ending Syria's chemical weapons program. He said they also agreed to do "homework" as part of an effort to get Syria's warring sides to a conference on a temporary government.
作为其进展的一部分，美国国务卿克里和俄罗斯外长Sergei Lavrov在日内瓦举行会谈。克里先生说，他们就结束叙利亚化学武器计划进行了其所谓的“有建设性”的会谈。他说，双方同意继续“做工作”让叙利亚交战各方回到就临时政府的会谈上来。