美日取消冲绳基地年迁移期限

The United States and Japan have agreed to drop a 2014 deadline for completing the relocation of a critical U.S. Marine base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. The agreement, aimed at easing a thorny issue in bilateral relations, came at meeting of the two countries’ foreign and defense ministers in Washington.

美国和日本同意取消以2014年为美军在冲绳基地完全迁移的最后期限。这项共识是美日外交和国防首长在华盛顿会谈中达成的，目的在于缓和双边关系中的一个棘手问题。

Implementation of the base deal, intended to ease the impact of U.S. forces on Okinawa, has been delayed by Japanese politics, including protests by islanders that it does not go far enough to reduce base-related noise and pollution.

为了舒解美国驻军对冲绳形成的压力而达成的基地搬迁协议，已经由于日本方面的政情而延缓执行。这些政治情势，包括冲绳岛居民因为协定内容，不足以减低美军基地造成的噪音和污染问题而引发的抗议活动。

The agreement announced here is a recognition that the 2014 completion date cannot be met. But it also commits Japan to complete the costly project “at the earliest possible date” after 2014, and to help underwrite the relocation of some U.S. troops to Guam.

美日双方这次在华盛顿公布的协议承认以2014年为迁移完成期限一点无法做到。但是协议也要求日本承诺在2014年之后，尽早完成这项耗资巨大的迁移计划，并且资助部分美军人员调往关岛。

The anticipated compromise deal was announced at a closing news conference of a two-day meeting of the Pacific allies’ foreign and defense ministers, hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

这项预期中的协议，是在为期两天的美日外交国防部长级会议结束后的记者会上宣布的。会议的东道主是美国国务卿克林顿。

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he and Clinton raised a recent letter by key U.S. Senators suggesting the base deal be re-examined because of delays and cost-overruns.

美国国防部长盖茨说，他和克林顿国务卿提出了美国资深参议员最近的一封信，信中对基地迁移协定的延搁和费用超支表示不满，建议重新考量。

“The letter from Senators [Jim] Webb and [Carl] Levin about the realignment is really a manifestation of growing Congressional impatience with the lack of progress. We both reaffirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to the 2006 realignment plan, but at the same time emphasized the importance of concrete progress over the next year,” Gates said.

盖茨说：“韦布和莱文参议员有关重新部署协定的来信，确实反映出国会对此事缺乏进展日益感到不耐烦。我们双方重申美国政府对2006年拟订的重新部署驻军计划的承诺，但同时也强调明年开始稳定进展的重要性。”

The so-called two-plus-two meeting was the first between the two allies in four years, and the first involving ministers of the Democratic Party of Japan, which has been often been critical of the U.S. military presence.

这项所谓二加二会议，是四年来美日双方首次举行的此类会议，也是首次包括了日本民主党籍的部长级官员。日本民主党经常批评美军在日本驻扎的问题。But Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said the DPJ is now committed to fulfilling the deal, despite continued local opposition from Okinawan politicians, some of whom want U.S. forces off the island altogether.

但是，日本防卫大臣北泽俊美说，尽管冲绳岛地方政界继续反对，日本民主党会承诺履行基地重新部署协定。有些冲绳岛地方政界人士希望美军完全撤离。

“Opinions in Okinawa are very harsh, and we confirmed in our meeting today at we will make our best effort to try and get the understanding of Governor [Hirokazu] Nakaima of Okinawa, and the local people there. The purpose of U.S. realignment, as I mentioned earlier, is to maintain deterrence and to reduce the local impact, the local burden,” Kitazawa said.

日本防卫大臣北泽俊美说：“冲绳岛的舆论非常严酷。我们在今天的会中肯定，我们将尽可能取得冲绳县知事仲井真弘多以及当地民众的谅解。正如我早先所说的，美军在当地重新部署，是为了维持吓阻力量，同时也减轻了当地的压力和负担。”

Under the 2006 accord, the U.S. Marine base at Futenma, Okinawa - which adjoins an urban area - will be moved to a more remote site on the northern part of the island. The sides said they have reached agreement on the runway configuration for the new U.S. base.

根据2006年的协议，美军在冲绳岛连接市区的普天间的陆战队基地，将迁移到冲绳岛北部的边远地区。双方表示，他们已经就新基地飞机跑道的模式达成协议。

Analysts say Japanese concerns about the U.S. presence has eased in recent months, owing to aggressive North Korean actions, an expanded Chinese naval presence in the region, and massive U.S. aid to Japan following its earthquake disaster in March.

分析人士说，日本方面对美军驻扎的担心，近几个月来已经减轻，原因是北韩的挑衅行为，以及区域内中国海军力量的扩张，再加上日本三月间发生震灾之后，美国提供的大量援助。

A joint statement from the “two-plus-two” meeting said U.S.-Japanese military aid operations after the earthquake had given “new confidence” to the 50-year-old alliance.

这次二加二会议的联合声明说，美军在地震之后给予日本的援助，使具有50年历史的盟国关系，重新获得信心。

It cited an increasingly uncertain security environment in the region due in part to North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs and “provocative behavior.”

联合声明指出，这个区域里由于北韩的导弹，核武计划以及挑衅行为，安全问题越来越不确定。

The statement said the United States and Japan seek a responsible and constructive Chinese regional security role that adheres to “international norms of behavior,” as well as openness and transparency in China’s military modernization program.

声明中还说，美日两国希望中国在本地区的安全中，扮演符合国际行为标准的负责任和建设性角色，并且公开和透明化中国军队的现代化进行情况。