Pentagon Calls on Burma's Junta to Accept Aid
美国吁缅甸当局别为面子阻拦外援

The Pentagon is calling on Burma's leaders to "put their pride aside" and allow more international help for victims of the cyclone that hit the country 12 days ago.

美国国防部呼吁缅甸领导人“不要过分顾及面子”，而是允许更多的国际援助进入缅甸，帮助将近两个星期前遭受强热带风暴袭击的灾民。

At a news conference Thursday, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell expressed thanks for Burma's decision to accept some U.S. aid, but called on its leaders to allow more, including U.S. troops with disaster relief experience.

国防部发言人杰夫.莫雷尔在星期四举行的新闻发布会上，对缅甸政府决定接受美方的部分援助，表示感谢，他同时呼吁缅甸领导人允许更多的救援人员和物资、包括救灾经验丰富的美国部队进入缅甸。

"Our government has been working with other governments in the region to try to persuade the Burmese military, the leadership of that nation, to put their pride aside and let our troops come in with the aid that their people so desperately need," he said.

他说，“我国政府一直在同那个地区其它国家政府一道，努力说服缅甸军方，也就是缅甸领导人，不要那么顾及面子，而是让美国军队去到那里，给予当地人民所急需的援助。”

As of Thursday, there had been 13 U.S. military flights from Thailand to Burma carrying 140 metric tons of water, tents, blankets and other relief supplies.

截止到星期四为止，总共有13架美国军用飞机把140吨水、帐篷、毛毯和其他救援物资，经由泰国运抵缅甸。

Morrell says the United States could be doing much more, but there is no plan to do anything without Burmese government permission.

国防部发言人莫雷尔表示，美方其实可以做得更多，但是没有缅甸政府的批准，现在不准备采取行动。

"There has been no change in this department's position towards the prospect of unilateral airdrops into a sovereign country such as Burma," he said. "That is just not something that we are discussing at this time."

他说，“国防部在单方面向缅甸这样一个主权国家空投物资的问题上，立场没有改变。我们目前不讨论这种行动。”

U.S. officials say they have been consulting with independent relief organizations working in Burma and with Burmese officials to decide what type of supplies to send. One official says personal hygiene kits have been added, and more food may be sent on future flights, if they are allowed.

美国官员表示，一直在与缅甸境内的独立救援机构以及缅甸官员商榷，到底要送去哪类物资。一位官员说，已经把个人卫生用品加到了清单上，一旦得到许可，还要运送更多的食品。

The spokesman, Geoff Morrell, says it appears at least some of the aid is getting to the people who need it.

国防部发言人莫雷尔说，看来至少有一些救援物资已经送到了灾民的手中。

"We have to rely a lot on the U.N. and non-governmental organizations that are being permitted to operate in Burma," Morrell said. "And the reports we are getting back from them is that international relief supplies transported by the Burmese military have been arriving in disaster areas."

他说，“在很大程度上，我们要依靠缅甸政府允许入境的联合国和其他一些非政府组织。从这些组织反馈给我们的信息上看来，由缅甸军方负责运送的国际救援物资，正在陆续抵达灾区。”

U.S. officials would like to deliver aid to Burma from several navy ships that have taken up positions in international waters off the Burmese coast. But Burma has not given permission for that.

美国官员表示，有好几艘美国海军的军舰停泊在缅甸附近的国际海域，随时准备帮助运送救援物资，但是到目前为止，还没有得到缅甸政府的许可。

Officials say the ships moved a bit to avoid the worst of a new storm moving through the area, but forecasters believe this storm will not have the intensity they had feared, which would have made the situation in Burma's storm-devastated areas even worse.

国防部官员说，这些军舰从最初的位置上稍微转移了一些，以便躲过正在经过那个地区的一场新的风暴。不过，气象专家说，原本担心这场新的风暴来势凶猛，让缅甸灾区的情况进一步恶化，但是现在估计新的风暴不像原来想象的那么严重。