09-25-06

塔拉巴尼盼一万美军长驻伊拉克 (Talabani Wants US to Keep 10,000 Troops in Iraq Long-Term)

伊拉克总统塔拉巴尼说，他希望美国军队在伊拉克长期驻守下去，以阻止“外国势力对伊拉克的干涉”。

塔拉巴尼接受美国华盛顿邮报采访时说，他希望美国能够在伊拉克长期保留至少两个空军基地和一万名军人。目前美国有14万7千名军人驻扎在伊拉克。

塔拉巴尼是伊拉克库尔德人。他说，伊拉克欢迎美国在伊拉克北部库尔德斯坦自治区建立长期的基地。

塔拉巴尼还表示，在伊拉克一些地区，逊尼派穆斯林希望美国人留下来，因为他们担心伊朗这个以什叶派穆斯林为主的国家的影响。

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani says he wants U.S. forces to remain in Iraq for a long time to prevent what he describes as "foreign interference" in the country.

Mr. Talabani tells the Washington Post newspaper that he would like the U.S. to keep at least two air bases and 10-thousand troops in Iraq in the long term. There are currently 147-thousand U.S. troops in Iraq.

Mr. Talabani, who is an Iraqi Kurd, says the U.S. would be welcome to establish long-term bases in the Kurdistan autonomous region of northern Iraq.

He also says that in some parts of Iraq, Sunni Muslims want the Americans to stay, because they fear the influence of Iran, a majority Shi'ite country.

小泉指责中韩应对中日和韩日关系差负责 (Koizumi Blames China, South Korea for Poor Relations)

日本即将卸任的首相小泉纯一郎说，中国和韩国应该为它们各自与东京的紧张关系负责。

小泉纯一郎在星期一他最后一次新闻发布会上表示，中国和韩国因他每年参拜靖国神社而拒绝与他举行高峰会谈的做法是错误的。靖国神社供奉着日本战争死难者，其中包括战犯。

首尔和北京政府一直反对小泉纯一郎对靖国神社的参拜，认为小泉纯一郎的参拜美化了日本对中、韩两国所犯下的战争罪行。

这位日本首相说，中、韩两国政府日后会意识到它们的做法是错误的。

小泉的5年任期到星期二结束，他的保守派同僚安倍晋三将接替他的职务。

Japan's outgoing prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, says China and South Korea are to blame for their strained diplomatic relations with Tokyo.

Mr. Koizumi told his last news conference today (Monday) that China and South Korea were wrong to have refused summits with him because of his annual pilgrimages to the Yasukuni shrine. The shrine honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals.

The Seoul and Beijing governments have objected to the visits, which they say glorify Japan's wartime offenses against their countries.

The Japanese prime minister said the governments will realize in hindsight that they were wrong.

Mr. Koizumi is to be replaced by fellow conservative Shinzo Abe when his five-year term ends Tuesday.