10-19-2005

聯合國警告中東非洲可能面臨禽流感 (UN Agency Warns Middle East and Africa May Face Bird Flu)

聯合國警告說，候鳥可能會把禽流感傳播到中東和非洲，從而增加病毒從禽鳥傳染給人類的機率。聯合國糧農組織說，中東和北非國家應該能夠抗擊禽流感。但是該組織擔心，東部非洲由於人群與禽畜十分接近，很可能成為禽流感的滋生地。

這個聯合國機構承諾幫助非洲國家監控野鳥和家禽的狀況，以及改善實驗室早期偵測禽流感疫情的能力。

同時，俄羅斯和中國內蒙古地區都報告發生了新的禽流感病例。馬其頓當局為了應對另一種相對不那麼嚴重的禽流感，正在宰殺數以千計的禽鳥。自從2003年以來，亞洲已經有60多人死於H5N1型的禽流感病毒。

The United Nations has warned that migratory birds may spread bird flu to the Middle East and Africa, increasing chances of its transmission to humans. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says countries in the Middle East and in northern Africa should be able to combat avian influenza. But it expressed concern that eastern Africa could become a breeding ground for the illness because of the close proximity between people and animals there.

The U.N. agency pledged to assist African countries in surveillance of wild and domestic birds, and in improving laboratory capacities to detect any bird flu outbreak early.

Meanwhile, new bird flu cases are reported in Russia and in China's Inner Mongolia region. Macedonian authorities are culling thousands of birds to deal with a less serious type of bird flu. More than 60 people in Asia have died from the H5N1 strain of the virus since 2003.

第中國軍方重申不首先使用核武 (Chinese Military Repeats Promise Not to First Use Nuclear Weapons)

美國國防部長唐納德.拉姆斯菲爾德會晤中國國家主席胡錦濤和國防部長曹剛川。曹剛川再次否認了有關北京少報軍事開支的說法。拉姆斯菲爾德還參觀了中國第二炮兵、也就是中國戰略導彈部隊的司令部。二炮司令靖志遠對另一名中國將領最近的公開說法表示不以為然。那名將領說，如果美國介入台灣衝突，中國將對美國使用核武器。

靖志遠將軍說，中國的政策禁止首先使用核武器。在星期三的會晤中，雙方保證擴大兩軍合作，但是拉姆斯菲爾德也對中國秘密擴充軍力的“不一致信號”再次表示關注。中國說，目前的國防開支是每年300億美元左右。但是五角大樓估計，中國今年的軍事預算是900億美元。

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has met with China's president Hu Jintao and Defense Minister General Cao Gangchuan. Cao Gangchuan again denied allegations that Beijing understates its military spending. Rumsfeld also visited China's Second Artillery Headquarters, the seat of China's strategic nuclear missile program. There, Chief Commander General Jing Zhiyuan dismissed a recent public suggestion by another Chinese general who said China would use nuclear missiles against the United States if it intervened in a conflict over Taiwan.

General Jing Zhiyuan said China's policy bars it from using nuclear weapons first. During Wednesday's meetings, the two sides pledged greater military cooperation, but Rumsfeld also repeated concerns over the "mixed signals" from China's secretive military buildup. China says it spends around 30 billion dollars a year on defense. The Pentagon, however, estimates China's military budget this year at 90 billion dollars.