Iraqi Parliament Debates New US Military Pact
伊拉克议会辩论美伊安全协议

　
Iraq's parliament has begun debate on a new military pact with the United States that was approved Sunday by the country's Cabinet. Among other things, the deal calls for coalition forces to withdraw from Iraq in three years. But radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, is threatening to torpedo the vote.

伊拉克议会开始就一项新的军事协议进行辩论。伊拉克同美国的协议星期天得到伊拉克政府内阁的批准。这项协议包括要求盟军部队在三年内从伊拉克撤军。但是激进的什叶派教士萨德尔威胁要破坏议会的投票。

Iraq's parliament began deliberations on a new military pact with the United States, which is to replace a U.N. mandate that expires December 31. The Iraqi Cabinet approved the pact Sunday, after a bitter and protracted debate and the obstruction of several influential Shi'ite leaders.

伊拉克议会开始就伊拉克同美国之间的一项新军事协议进行辩论。该协议将取代12月31日到期的联合国授权。在经过激烈和长期的辩论，以及一些有影响力的什叶派领导人的反对后，伊拉克内阁星期天批准这项军事协议。

The text of the agreement was read to Iraqi legislators, before the special session of parliament was adjourned. More than two-thirds of Iraq's 275-member parliament attended the session, despite calls from anti-U.S. Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al Sadr to obstruct debate.

在这项协议的文本向伊拉克议会进行宣读后，议会的特别会议休会。

The pact is scheduled for a vote on November 24.

预计伊拉克议会将于11月24日对这项协议进行投票表决。

Earlier, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Iraqi Foreign Minister Houshiar Zebari signed the accord. Ambassador Crocker saisd the new pact would be the cornerstone of U.S.-Iraqi relations for "economy, culture, science, technology, health and trade."

早些时候，美国驻伊拉克大使克罗克和伊拉克外交部长兹巴里签署了这项协议。克罗克大使说，新协议将是美国和伊拉克“经济、文化、科学、技术、卫生和贸易”关系的基石。

Foreign Minister Zebari addressed the concerns of many Iraqis, saying the government had gotten the best possible deal in its negotiations with the United States.

伊拉克外交部长兹巴里谈到了很多伊拉克人的担忧。他说，在同美国的谈判中，伊拉克政府取得了最好的协议。

He says most important was the Iraqi negotiating team's skill in arriving at a final date for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. No clear date was set, before this pact, he says, and everyone was putting out conflicting signals, but now the government has hammered out a final accord.

他说，最重要的是伊拉克的谈判人员运用他们娴熟的谈判技巧，取得了让美国撤军的最后日期。他说，在这项协议之前，从来没有明确过美军撤出的日期，而且每个人都发出相互矛盾的信号，但是现在伊拉克政府终于制定了一个最终协议。

Firebrand Shi'ite cleric Muqtada Sadr has threatened to withdraw his 30 members from parliament in a bid to obstruct that body's vote to approve the deal.

But Iraq's revered top Shi'ite authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani gave his blessing to the new pact, several days ago, saying he would not object if it was approved by a substantial majority in parliament.

但是伊拉克倍受尊敬的什叶派最高权威、大阿亚图拉阿里-西斯塔尼却表示祝福新协议。他几天前曾经表示，如果协议得到大多数议员的批准，他将不会反对。

Analyst Paul Salem of the Beirut-based Carnegie Center for Peace in the Middle East describes the logistical achievement of concluding the new Iraqi-U.S. military pact.

贝鲁特的卡内基中东和平中心的分析人士塞勒姆论述了达成一项新的伊拉克和美国军事协议在逻辑上取得的成就。

"There was a clear common interest, there, but the great difficulty was the political situation in Iraq, and I think there is still a bit of a challenge," said Paul Salem. "It was an achievement that Maliki was able to get it through the government. That is a good sign he should be able to get it through parliament. It indicates, I think, that Nouri al Maliki himself is more in control of the situation."

塞勒姆说：“在达成协议的议题上，显然双方共同的利益很明显，但是最困难的问题是伊拉克的政治形势，而且我认为仍然存在一些挑战。能够在政府内阁中推动这项协议是马利基取得的成就。这是一个好征兆，表明他能让协议得到议会批准。同时也表明，马利基本人更能左右目前的局势。”

Neighboring Syria, which has long opposed the U.S. presence in Iraq, slammed the new accord, calling it a "surrender" to U.S. interests.

But Iran's judiciary chief, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, said the Iraqi Cabinet acted "very well" in approving the pact. Shahroudi is reportedly very close to Iran's top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenai.

但是伊朗司法部长沙赫鲁迪说，伊拉克内阁在批准这项协议的问题上采取了“很好”的行动。据报导，沙赫鲁迪同伊朗最高领袖哈梅内伊私交甚好。

The Website of Iran's state television quoted Shahroudi as saying he hoped the United States will withdraw from Iraq within the time specified in the deal. A television commentary called it "a victory" for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government.

伊朗国家电视台网站援引沙赫鲁迪的话说，他希望美国将在协议规定的时间内从伊拉克撤军。电视台的评论说，这是伊拉克总理马利基政府的“一个胜利”。

The Iranian government has long expressed opposition to the pact, arguing that a continued U.S. presence in Iraq undermines its own security and stability.

Analyst Salem says he does not think Tehran will attempt to scuttle the deal, especially after its previous history of reining in ally Muqtada al Sadr.

"Iran has sort of pulled back Muqtada al Sadr in 2007, and in general the Iranians have been playing the double game of wanting the Americans to stay long enough to secure the situation, but also to be uncomfortable enough to seriously commit to leaving at some point," he said.

Al-Sadr is calling for a popular protest against the accord Friday in Baghdad.