12-22-06

美稱越南宗教自由有進步 (US Says Vietnam Has Made Progress in Religious Freedom)

布希政府為最近把越南從世界上違反宗教自由最嚴重的國家名單上除去的決定提出辯護。美國國務院國際宗教自由辦公室負責人利斯通星期四對國會的一個委員會說，越南在推動宗教自由方面取得了真正的進步。他說，在過去兩年裏，越南政府在這方面實施了一系列新的法律。他說，其中包括將幾百個宗教集會地點合法化，並允許數百名新教士接受培訓。

美國獨立的國際自由委員會負責人表示，這些進步不足以把越南從世界上違反宗教自由最嚴重的國家名單上去除。美國一些國會議員也對此表示關注。新澤西州共和黨議員史密斯說，他2005年曾前往越南訪問，那裏宗教自由的匱乏讓他感到震驚。

The Bush administration is defending its recent decision to remove Vietnam from a list of the world's worst violators of freedom of religion. Liston, the director of the State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom told a congressional committee Thursday that Vietnam has made real progress promoting religious freedom. He said over the past two years, Vietnam's government has put in place a series of new laws on the issue. He said they include legalizing hundreds of religious meeting places and allowing for hundreds of new clergy members to be trained.

The head of the independent U.S. Commission on International Freedom said the progress is not enough to warrant Vietnam's removal from the list of the world's worst violators of freedom of religion. Some lawmakers also expressed concerns. New Jersey Republican Christopher Smith said he was appalled by the lack of religious freedom he saw in Vietnam during a 2005 visit.

六方會談結束未獲突破 (Six-Party Talks End Without Breakthrough)

最新一輪有關北韓核項目問題的六方會談星期五在北京結束，沒有取得任何突破。六方會談主席發表聲明說，談判人員期望儘早再次舉行會談，並表示會談六方同意儘早分階段落實2005年9月達成的聯合聲明。

星期五結束的5天會談是有關六國一年多以來舉行的第一次會議，也是平壤方面10月進行核試爆以來的第一次。

日本首相安倍晉三說，國際社會可能會加緊對平壤施加壓力。2005年，平壤原則上承諾解除核武器，但是拒絕討論協議的實施，除非美國先解除去年針對北韓據稱造偽鈔和洗錢而實施的制裁。南韓總統盧武鉉星期四說，北韓解除核武方面沒有進展，美國要承擔部分責任。

The latest round of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program has ended in Beijing without a breakthrough. A statement released by the chairman of the talks says negotiators hope to reconvene at the earliest opportunity and said that the six parties agreed to implement the joint statement of September 2005 as soon as possible, and in a "phased manner."

The five-day talks that ended Friday were the first held by the six nations involved in more than a year, and the first since Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test in October.

Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, says the international community is likely to increase pressure on Pyongyang. North Korea promised in principle to disarm in 2005. But it has refused to negotiate implementation until the U.S. lifts financial sanctions imposed last year in response to North Korea's alleged counterfeiting and money laundering. South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun said Thursday that the United States bears some of the blame for the lack of progress over North Korea's disarmament.