Oil Prices Reach a Record High
意大利首都罗马召开国际能源论坛

　 
Government energy ministers from oil-rich nations and international oil company executives are attending a three-day International Energy Forum in Rome. The meeting, which ends Tuesday, is being held as crude oil prices reached a record high.

盛产石油国家的能源部长们和国际石油公司的管理人员在罗马参加一次为期三天的国际能源论坛。这次会议举行之际，原油价格达到创记录的高水平。国际能源论坛将在星期二结束。

Participants at the oil summit in Rome do not seem to find agreement on what is causing the rise in oil prices. International Energy Agency head Nobuo Tanaka warned that current prices, which hit a record of $117 a barrel, are too high for all consumers and particularly punishing for developing nations.

这次罗马石油峰会的与会者看来不会就石油价格上涨的原因达成一致意见。国际能源机构总干事田中伸男警告说，目前的油价已经达到创记录的每桶117美元。这个价格对所有消费者来说都太高，高油价特别对发展中国家带来冲击。

Speaking at the biennial International Energy Conference, Tanaka said the problem is not underground, but above ground. He added that better infrastructure and more stable policies in producing countries are important to increase capacity and stressed the need for investment.

田中伸男在两年一度的国际能源会议上说，现在问题不是在地下，而是已经凸显出来。他补充说，产油国改善基础设施、稳定石油政策对提高产油能力很重要。田中伸男强调投资的必要性。

But OPEC and its member nations maintain that raising capacity is unlikely to have any impact. The Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hussein Nozari said more than enough oil is being supplied. He added that other issues are affecting oil prices like the dollar.

但是欧佩克及其成员国坚持表示，提高产油能力不大可能产生任何效果。伊朗石油部长诺扎利说，目前石油供过于求。他说，其他问题，比如美元兑换率也在影响油价。

OPEC Secretary-General Abdalla Salem al-Badri has said the group is prepared to raise production if the price pressure is due to a shortage of supply - but also said he doubted the connection.

欧佩克秘书长巴德里曾表示，如果价格压力是供应短缺造成的，欧佩克愿意提高产量。但是他也表示，他不认为价格跟供应有关系。

"There is a common understanding now that [oil prices] has nothing to do with supply and demand," he said.

巴德里说：“大家共同的理解是，石油价格跟供求关系没有任何关系。”

The OPEC chief said more oil would not solve the high prices. Al-Badri added that OPEC's production levels are just one of many factors, while others included the political situation, market speculation, labor issues and natural catastrophes.

欧佩克秘书长巴德里表示，提高产量不能解决价格居高不下的问题。他说，欧佩克的产量只是许多因素中的一个。其他因素包括政治形势、市场投机、劳工问题和自然灾害。意大利前总理普罗迪也谈到他的关切。

Italy's former prime minister Romano Prodi also spoke of his concern. He says what is taking place is a conflict between food and fuel, with disastrous social consequences. He adds that governments cannot just watch this happen.

普罗迪说，现在发生的事情是食品与燃料的冲突，结果导致灾难性的社会后果。他说，各国政府不能任其发展。

In another industry development, Iraq Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said contracts between the autonomous Northern Iraqi Kurds and foreign companies remain invalid, despite recent talks between the two sides to discuss the country's long-delayed federal oil law.

另一个石油工业领域的发展是，伊拉克石油部长沙赫利斯塔尼表示，尽管巴格达当局同伊拉克北部库尔德自治区最近在谈判拖延了很久的联邦石油法，但是库尔德地区同外国公司之间签署的合同仍然无效。

The Kurds have signed about 25 production-sharing contracts with several small and mid-sized oil companies, but Al-Shahristani said they do not meet the conditions of the draft 2007 law.

库尔德人已经跟几个中小型的石油公司签署了大约25个分享石油产出的合同，但是沙赫利斯塔尼说，这些合同不符合2007年伊拉克石油法草案的规定。

The draft law requires an open bidding process and would establish which foreign countries are eligible to work in Iraq. The dispute between the the central government in Baghdad and the Kurds has dragged on for many months, delaying agreement on a final oil law that Iraq badly requires to attract foreign investment and increase oil production.

石油法草案要求公开招标，并确定哪些家外国公司有资格在伊拉克营运。巴格达中央政府跟库尔德人之间的争议已经拖了很多年，导致双方迟迟不能就石油法最终版本达成一致意见。伊拉克急迫需要通过石油法，以吸引外国投资，增加石油产量。