From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.
这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。
What seemed like an unplanned comment about Syria's chemical weapons had a major effect on world events this week. American Secretary of State John Kerry spoke last Monday at a press conference in London. He was reacting to questions about possible American action to answer a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria. One reporter asked the secretary whether there is anything Syria's president can do to avoid an American military strike.
一段就叙利亚化学武器貌似无意的评论对本周全球事件产生了重大影响。美国国务卿约翰·克里（John Kerry）上周一在伦敦记者招待会上做了发言，他当时回应了美国对叙利亚疑似化学武器攻击可能会采取什么行动的问题。一名记者问到，叙利亚总统是否能做点什么以避免美国的军事打击。
"Sure, he can turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week."
克里说，“当然，他可以下周将他所有化学武器移交给国际社会。”
Mr. Kerry made clear he was speaking theoretically, and did not expect anything like that to happen.
克里先生明确表示他只是从理论上这么说，并未期望这样的事情会发生。
"But he is not about to do that, cannot be done, obviously."
克里说，“但显然他（指叙利亚总统）不打算那么做。”
But Russia seized on the idea and persuaded Syria to do the same. That brought plans for American congressional votes on military action to a halt. It also led France to suggest a United Nations Security Council resolution on chemical weapons in Syria. President Obama has said he would accept a diplomatic solution if it can be carried out. But that would likely take weeks, at least.
但俄罗斯抓住了克里的这个想法，并说服了叙利亚照办。这使得美国国会投票的计划陷入停顿。它还导致法国就叙利亚化学武器提出了一项联合国安理会决议。奥巴马总统已表示，如果可能，他愿意接受外交途径解决。但那样做可能至少需要数周时间。
Some officials in the United States and overseas are concerned. They fear that Syria and Russia will use Mr. Kerry's comment to direct attention away from the reported chemical attack and to avoid American action.
美国和国外的一些官员很是担忧。他们担心叙利亚和俄罗斯会利用克里先生的评论将全球注意力从已报道的化学武器攻击上转移走，以避免美国的打击行动。
Mr. Obama has said the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be punished for violating the nearly century old ban on the use of chemical weapons. He called for American action to prevent future use of chemical weapons in Syria. He proposed limited airstrikes on government targets. The airstrikes could happen quickly if Congress approves.
奥巴马总统曾说，叙利亚阿萨德政权违反了近一个世纪之久的化学武器使用禁令，必须受到惩罚。他呼吁美国采取行动防止叙利亚未来继续使用化学武器，并提出对叙利亚政府目标进行有限空袭。如果国会批准，空袭可能很快就会进行。
Joanna Kidd is a security expert with London's King's College. She says any move to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control would take a long time, if it could be done at all.
乔安娜·基德(Joanna Kidd)是伦敦国王学院的一名安全专家。她表示，如果能完全做到，任何将叙利亚化学武器置于国际控制下行动都将需要很长时间。
"It is a job that would take several months to do. And, of course, one should not forget that obviously there is a civil war going on in Syria, which would greatly complicate the process."
她说，“这项工作可能需要数月时间。当然我们不应该忘记的一点是，叙利亚显然正在内战，这将使得这一过程更为复杂。”
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons could provide inspectors to document controls on Syria's chemical weapons. But experts say there may not be enough inspectors to cover all of Syria. And they say the organization may not be willing to send them into the middle of the civil war.
禁止化学武器组织可以提供检查人员记录管理叙利亚的化学武器。但专家表示，可能没有足够多的检查人员来覆盖叙利亚全境。他们还表示，该组织可能不会愿意将检查人员置于叙利亚内战中。
Late this week, the Syrian government took its first step toward joining the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. The convention bans the development, production and use of chemical weapons. Until now, only seven countries, including Syria, have failed to approve the treaty.
本周晚些时候，叙利亚政府走出了加入1993年《禁止化学武器公约》的第一步。该公约禁止发展、生产和使用化学武器。截至目前，只有包括叙利亚在内的7个国家未批准该条约。
Mr. Assad says his country is now ready to give its approval. But he says Syria cannot be "brought to the final stage" while it is under the threat of an American missile strike.
阿萨德表示，叙利亚已经准备好批准该条约。但他表示，在叙利亚处于美国导弹袭击的威胁期间，叙利亚不会在这件事上屈服。
In a related development, Secretary Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Geneva. Mr. Kerry said they held what he called "constructive" talks on ending Syria's chemical weapons program. He said they also agreed to do "homework" as part of an effort to get Syria's warring sides to a conference on a temporary government.
另一方面，美国国务卿克里和俄罗斯外长谢尔盖·拉夫罗夫（Sergei Lavrov）在日内瓦举行会谈。克里表示，他们就结束叙利亚化学武器计划进行了有建设性的会谈。他说，双方同意继续努力让叙利亚交战各方回到就临时政府的会谈上来。
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