布什总统周三会晤奥尔默特

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President Bush will meet Wednesday at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. They will review progress in the Middle East peace process.

布什总统星期三将在白宫会见以色列总理奥尔默特，他们将评估中东和平进程的进展情况。

This will be their second round of talks in less than one month, following Mr. Bush's trip to Israel in May for ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the nation's founding.

这将是布什和奥尔默特在不到一个月里的第二轮会谈。布什5月访问以色列，出席以色列建国60周年的庆祝仪式。

Presidential spokeswoman Dana Perino says the informal discussions at the White House will focus on the peace process.

布什的发言人佩里诺说，两位领导人在白宫举行的非正式会谈将着重讨论和平进程。

She says the administration is doing all it can to get a Palestinian state defined before the end of the year, noting the president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are keeping in close touch with all the parties involved.

她说，布什政府正竭尽全力在今年年底之前使巴勒斯坦国得到确认。她说，布什总统和赖斯国务卿正在跟所有各方保持着密切联系。

"We continue to be engaged to try to help them, but we are not going to be able to solve the problem for them," said Dana Perino. "They are going to have to continue to work together."

佩里诺说：“我们继续接触，设法帮助他们，但我们不会为他们解决问题。他们必须要继续合作。”

She says the process is long and difficult, but stresses the two sides are not giving up.

她说，和平进程长期而艰巨，但以色列和巴勒斯坦双方不会放弃。

"And we know that their governments are talking to one another - the Palestinians and the Israelis," she said. "But there is a lot of tension, a lot of historical complexities that enter into this. But I believe that the president will see from Prime Minister Olmert that they continue to negotiate in good faith. And this president is going to push them, because the Israelis and the Palestinians both have to live up to their 'roadmap' obligations, if we are going to reach the goal of defining a state by the end of the year."

佩里诺说：“我们知道巴勒斯坦人和以色列人的政府在保持联系。但双方的关系仍然很紧张，其中涉及很多错综复杂的历史问题。但是我相信，布什总统将敦促奥尔默特总理，让他们继续本着诚意进行协商。布什总统将督促他们这样做，因为如果我们要在今年年底达到确立巴勒斯坦国的目的，以色列和巴勒斯坦都必须履行他们‘路线图’的义务。”

Perino says the Israelis have security concerns and the Palestinians are worried about announcements of new settlement activity.

佩里诺说，以色列有安全顾虑，巴勒斯坦则对宣布新的定居点活动表示担忧。

Israel said Sunday that it plans to build almost 900 new housing units in disputed East Jerusalem, a move that prompted sharp criticism from the Palestinian leadership.

以色列星期天说，它计划在有争议的东耶路撒冷新建约900所房屋。以色列的决定招致巴勒斯坦领导层的尖锐批评。

Just prior to his departure for Washington Prime Minister Olmert discussed housing and other issues in Jerusalem with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

以色列总理奥尔默特启程前往华盛顿之前同巴勒斯坦主席阿巴斯就耶路撒冷定居点和其它问题举行了会谈。

President Abbas told reporters it will be difficult to reach a peace agreement if the building does not stop.

阿巴斯对记者说，如果新建定居点的活动不停止，达成和平协议将非常困难。

At the White House, Dana Perino agreed that settlement activity is a big problem.

佩里诺在白宫表示，定居点活动的确是个大问题。

"Our position on the settlements is that we don't believe that any more settlements should be built, and we know that that exacerbates the tension when it comes to the negotiations with the Palestinians," said Dana Perino.

她说：“我们在定居点问题上的立场是，我们并不认为有必要新建定居点。我们知道，在同巴勒斯坦进行磋商的时候，新建定居点问题会加剧双方的紧张关系。”

During a session with reporters, Perino was also asked about the Israeli leader's political troubles and the impact that could have on the peace process.

佩里诺还回答了记者的提问。有记者问到以色列总理奥尔默特目前在政治方面面临的麻烦，以及可能给和平进程带来的影响。

"As far as I know the Israelis and the Palestinians have continued to have talks in good faith while all this discussion in the press has gone on in Israel," she said.

Prime Minister Olmert is at the center of an evolving corruption investigation involving alleged cash payments from an American Jewish businessman.

以色列总理奥尔默特目前正在被调查有关腐败的事件。这起调查案涉及一名犹太裔美国商人据称给了奥尔默特大量现金。

Perino refuses to say if it would be discussed during the prime minister's private talks with President Bush. But she also notes that Mr. Bush has long said the Israeli and Palestinian people have set a goal, and the peace process is bigger than just one person.

佩里诺拒绝评论布什和奥尔默特在私下会谈中是否会讨论此事。但是她说，布什一直表示，以色列和巴勒斯坦人民已确立目标，和平进程比某个人更重要。