Statement by the President on Cuba Policy Changes

总统关于改变对古巴政策的讲话

 

Cabinet Room

内阁会议室

 

December 17, 2014

 2014年12月17日

 

Good afternoon.  Today, the United States of America is changing its relationship with the people of Cuba.

 

下午好。今天，美利坚合众国将改变与古巴人民的关系。

 

In the most significant changes in our policy in more than fifty years, we will end an outdated approach that, for decades, has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries.  Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas.

 

通过我们50多年来最大的政策改变，我们将结束已经过时而且几十年来未能推进我们利益的做法，并且将开始让两国关系正常化。通过这些改变，我们希望为美国和古巴人民创造更多的机会，并开创美洲国家间的新篇章。

 

There’s a complicated history between the United States and Cuba.  I was born in 1961 – just over two years after Fidel Castro took power in Cuba, and just a few months after the Bay of Pigs invasion, which tried to overthrow his regime. Over the next several decades, the relationship between our countries played out against the backdrop of the Cold War, and America’s steadfast opposition to communism.  We are separated by just over 90 miles. But year after year, an ideological and economic barrier hardened between our two countries.

 

美国和古巴之间有着复杂的历史。我出生于1961年，是菲德尔·卡斯特罗在古巴刚刚上台两年后不久，是试图推翻其政权的猪湾入侵事件发生几个月之后。在接下来的几十年里，我们两国关系始终处于冷战和美国坚决反对共产主义的背景中。我们仅仅90英里之隔，但年复一年，在我们之间形成了坚硬的意识形态和经济屏障。

 

Meanwhile, the Cuban exile community in the United States made enormous contributions to our country – in politics and business, culture and sports.  Like immigrants before, Cubans helped remake America, even as they felt a painful yearning for the land and families they left behind.  All of this bound America and Cuba in a unique relationship, at once family and foe.

 

与此同时，流亡美国的古巴人为我们国家作出了巨大的贡献，无论是在政治、商业、文化还是体育领域。像以前的其他移民一样，古巴移民——尽管心怀对阔别的祖国和家庭的痛苦思念——帮助重新塑造了美国。所有这些都让美国和古巴多年来处于一种既亲近又敌对的独特关系之中。

 

Proudly, the United States has supported democracy and human rights in Cuba through these five decades. We have done so primarily through policies that aimed to isolate the island, preventing the most basic travel and commerce that Americans can enjoy anyplace else.  And though this policy has been rooted in the best of intentions, no other nation joins us in imposing these sanctions, and it has had little effect beyond providing the Cuban government with a rationale for restrictions on its people.  Today, Cuba is still governed by the Castros and the Communist Party that came to power half a century ago.

 

让我们引以自豪的是，美国过去50年来一直支持古巴的民主和人权。我们的方式主要是实行旨在孤立这个岛国的政策，美国人被禁止在那里从事他们可在其他任何地方从事的最基本的旅游和商业活动。虽然这项政策是基于良好的愿望，但是没有其他国家加入我们实行制裁。这项政策除了给古巴政府提供对其人民实行限制的理由之外，影响甚微。今天，古巴仍然是在卡斯特罗家族和在半个世纪前当政的共产党的统治下。

 

Neither the American, nor Cuban people are well served by a rigid policy that is rooted in events that took place before most of us were born.  Consider that for more than 35 years, we’ve had relations with China – a far larger country also governed by a Communist Party.  Nearly two decades ago, we reestablished relations with Vietnam, where we fought a war that claimed more Americans than any Cold War confrontation.

 

这项僵硬的、基于我们大多数人尚未出生前的事件而实施的政策，无论对美国人民还是对古巴人民都没有良好效益。人们可以想一想过去35年来，我们和中国发展了关系——中国比古巴大得多，同样是共产党统治的国家。将近20年前，我们也与越南重新建立了关系，而我们曾在那里打过一场战争，牺牲的美国人比在任何冷战交锋中都多。

 

That’s why – when I came into office – I promised to re-examine our Cuba policy.  As a start, we lifted restrictions for Cuban Americans to travel and send remittances to their families in Cuba.  These changes, once controversial, now seem obvious. Cuban Americans have been reunited with their families, and are the best possible ambassadors for our values.  And through these exchanges, a younger generation of Cuban Americans has increasingly questioned an approach that does more to keep Cuba closed off from an interconnected world.

 

这就是为什么当我上任时，我承诺要重新审视我们对古巴的政策。一开始，我们取消了限制古巴裔美国人去古巴旅行和汇款给古巴家人的政策。这些政策的变化在当时虽有争议，但现在看来毋庸置疑。古巴裔美国人已经在和家人团聚，而他们是传播美国价值观的最佳民间大使。通过这些交流，年轻一代的古巴裔美国人越来越对这种以古巴一直与世界隔绝为主要效果的政策提出质疑。

 

While I have been prepared to take additional steps for some time, a major obstacle stood in our way – the wrongful imprisonment, in Cuba, of a U.S. citizen and USAID sub-contractor Alan Gross for five years.  Over many months, my administration has held discussions with the Cuban government about Alan’s case, and other aspects of our relationship.  His Holiness Pope Francis issued a personal appeal to me, and to Cuba’s President Raul Castro, urging us to resolve Alan’s case, and to address Cuba’s interest in the release of three Cuban agents who have been jailed in the United States for over 15 years.

 

虽然我准备采取更多的步骤已有一段时间，但我们遇到一个重大障碍，那就是五年来古巴一直非法监禁着美国公民艾伦·格罗斯，他是美国国际发展署下的分包合同雇员。很多个月来，美国政府就艾伦的情况以及两国关系的其他方面与古巴政府进行了商谈。教皇弗朗西斯也向我和古巴总统劳尔·卡斯特罗发出了私人呼吁，要求我们解决艾伦的问题，并处理古巴希望让已在美国监禁15年以上的3名古巴特工人员获释的问题。

 

Today, Alan returned home – reunited with his family at long last.  Alan was released by the Cuban government on humanitarian grounds.  Separately, in exchange for the three Cuban agents, Cuba today released one of the most important intelligence agents that the United States has ever had in Cuba, and who has been imprisoned for nearly two decades.  This man, whose sacrifice has been known to only a few, provided America with the information that allowed us to arrest the network of Cuban agents that included the men transferred to Cuba today, as well as other spies in the United States.  This man is now safely on our shores.

 

如今，艾伦在长期分离后终于返回家园，与家人团聚。艾伦是被古巴政府基于人道理由释放的。另外，作为对美国释放三名古巴特工的交换，古巴今天释放了美国有史以来在古巴最重要的情报人员之一，他已经在古巴被关押了近20年，如今安全地来到我们这里。他所作的牺牲至今鲜为人知，他为美国提供的情报使我们捕获了古巴特工网成员，其中包括今天转交给古巴的几个人以及其他在美国的间谍。

 

Having recovered these two men who sacrificed for our country, I’m now taking steps to place the interests of the people of both countries at the heart of our policy.

 

在成功地救出了这两位为我们国家作出牺牲的人士后，我现在要采取措施把两国人民的利益置于我们政策的核心。

 

First, I’ve instructed Secretary Kerry to immediately begin discussions with Cuba to reestablish diplomatic relations that have been severed since January of 1961.  Going forward, the United States will reestablish an embassy in Havana, and high-ranking officials will visit Cuba.

 

首先，我已经指示克里国务卿立即开始讨论与古巴重建自1961年1月断绝的外交关系，美国将重新建立在哈瓦那的大使馆，并安排高级官员访问古巴。

 

Where we can advance shared interests, we will – on issues like health, migration, counterterrorism, drug trafficking and disaster response.  Indeed, we’ve seen the benefits of cooperation between our countries before.  It was a Cuban, Carlos Finlay, who discovered that mosquitoes carry yellow fever; his work helped Walter Reed fight it.  Cuba has sent hundreds of health care workers to Africa to fight Ebola, and I believe American and Cuban health care workers should work side by side to stop the spread of this deadly disease.

 

在我们能够推进共同利益的方面，我们将予以推进，例如卫生健康、移民、反恐、贩毒和救灾等。事实上，我们以前曾见证过两国间合作的好处。古巴人卡洛斯·芬利发现了蚊子携带黄热病，正是他的工作帮助沃尔特·里德征服这一疾病。古巴派出了数百名医护人员到非洲抗击埃博拉，我认为美国和古巴医护人员应为阻止这种致命疾病的蔓延并肩努力。

 

Now, where we disagree, we will raise those differences directly – as we will continue to do on issues related to democracy and human rights in Cuba.  But I believe that we can do more to support the Cuban people and promote our values through engagement.  After all, these 50 years have shown that isolation has not worked.  It’s time for a new approach.

 

在我们存在分歧的方面，我们也会直接提出，正如我们将在有关古巴民主和人权的问题上继续这样做。但我相信，我们可以通过接触，为古巴人民提供更多的支持和倡导我们的价值观。毕竟，50年的孤立政策已被证明无效，现在是采用新方法的时候了。

 

Second, I’ve instructed Secretary Kerry to review Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.  This review will be guided by the facts and the law.  Terrorism has changed in the last several decades.  At a time when we are focused on threats from al Qaeda to ISIL, a nation that meets our conditions and renounces the use of terrorism should not face this sanction.

 

其次，我已经指示克里国务卿对将古巴列为支持恐怖主义的国家的决定给予重新审议。此项审议将根据事实和法律进行。恐怖主义在过去几十年中发生了变化。当我们集中力量面对基地组织和伊斯兰国恐怖主义威胁的时候，一个符合我们的条件并且放弃使用恐怖主义的国家不应该再受这样的制裁。

 

Third, we are taking steps to increase travel, commerce, and the flow of information to and from Cuba.  This is fundamentally about freedom and openness, and also expresses my belief in the power of people-to-people engagement.  With the changes I’m announcing today, it will be easier for Americans to travel to Cuba, and Americans will be able to use American credit and debit cards on the island.  Nobody represents America’s values better than the American people, and I believe this contact will ultimately do more to empower the Cuban people.

 

第三，我们正在采取措施以增加旅游、商贸和往来于古巴的信息流动。这从根本上讲是一个有关自由和开放的问题，并表达了我对各国民间交往所具有的威力的信念。我今天所宣布的政策变化会让美国人更容易到古巴旅行，将能在这个岛国使用美国信用卡和借记卡。没有人能比美国人更好地代表美国的价值观，我相信这样的接触最终将更有利于让古巴人民拥有自主权益。

 

I also believe that more resources should be able to reach the Cuban people.  So we’re significantly increasing the amount of money that can be sent to Cuba, and removing limits on remittances that support humanitarian projects, the Cuban people, and the emerging Cuban private sector.

 

我也认为应该让更多的资源到达古巴人民的手中。因此，我们将大幅放宽对古巴的汇款限额，并取消对支持人道项目和古巴人民以及古巴新兴私营企业的汇款限制。

 

I believe that American businesses should not be put at a disadvantage, and that increased commerce is good for Americans and for Cubans.  So we will facilitate authorized transactions between the United States and Cuba.  U.S. financial institutions will be allowed to open accounts at Cuban financial institutions.  And it will be easier for U.S. exporters to sell goods in Cuba.

 

我认为，美国企业不应该被迫处于劣势地位，增加商务往来对美国人民和古巴人民都有益。因此，我们将促进美国和古巴之间获得许可的交易。美国金融机构将获得在古巴金融机构开设账户的许可，便于美国出口商在古巴出售产品。

 

I believe in the free flow of information.  Unfortunately, our sanctions on Cuba have denied Cubans access to technology that has empowered individuals around the globe.  So I’ve authorized increased telecommunications connections between the United States and Cuba.  Businesses will be able to sell goods that enable Cubans to communicate with the United States and other countries.

 

我信奉信息自由流动的原则。不幸的是，我们对古巴的制裁使古巴人民无法接触到增进全球人民自主权的技术。所以，我已经授权增加美国和古巴之间的通讯联系。美国企业将能够出售有助于古巴与美国和其他国家相互沟通的产品。

 

These are the steps that I can take as President to change this policy.  The embargo that’s been imposed for decades is now codified in legislation.  As these changes unfold, I look forward to engaging Congress in an honest and serious debate about lifting the embargo.

 

这些是我作为总统能为改变政策采取的步骤。对古巴实行了几十年的禁运目前仍是法律。随着这些变化的进展，我期待就解除禁运与国会进行开诚布公和认真的讨论。

 

 

Yesterday, I spoke with Raul Castro to finalize Alan Gross’s release and the exchange of prisoners, and to describe how we will move forward.  I made clear my strong belief that Cuban society is constrained by restrictions on its citizens.  In addition to the return of Alan Gross and the release of our intelligence agent, we welcome Cuba’s decision to release a substantial number of prisoners whose cases were directly raised with the Cuban government by my team.  We welcome Cuba’s decision to provide more access to the Internet for its citizens, and to continue increasing engagement with international institutions like the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross that promote universal values.

 

昨天，我与劳尔·卡斯特罗进行了交谈，最后确定了释放艾伦·格罗斯和交换囚犯的问题及双方今后的工作，我明确表达了我的坚定信念，指出古巴社会因本国公民受到种种限制而被束缚。除了艾伦·格罗斯回到祖国以及释放我们的情报人员以外，我们也欢迎古巴决定释放相当多的囚犯，对于这些囚犯的问题，我的团队曾直接向古巴政府提出交涉。我们欢迎古巴决定为本国公民增加利用因特网的渠道，并继续扩大与各国际性机构的接触，例如倡导普世价值的联合国和国际红十字会等。

 

But I’m under no illusion about the continued barriers to freedom that remain for ordinary Cubans.  The United States believes that no Cubans should face harassment or arrest or beatings simply because they’re exercising a universal right to have their voices heard, and we will continue to support civil society there.  While Cuba has made reforms to gradually open up its economy, we continue to believe that Cuban workers should be free to form unions, just as their citizens should be free to participate in the political process.

 

但是，古巴普通民众在实现自由的道路上仍然面临种种障碍，对这一点我没有任何疑误。美国认为，任何古巴人都不应该仅仅因为行使普世的权利，要求发出自己的声音而遭受骚扰、逮捕或殴打。我们将继续支持古巴的公民社会。虽然古巴已经进行了改革，逐步开放其经济，我们仍然认为，古巴工人应该能自由地组织工会，就像古巴的公民应该能自由参与政治进程一样。

 

Moreover, given Cuba’s history, I expect it will continue to pursue foreign policies that will at times be sharply at odds with American interests.  I do not expect the changes I am announcing today to bring about a transformation of Cuban society overnight.  But I am convinced that through a policy of engagement, we can more effectively stand up for our values and help the Cuban people help themselves as they move into the 21st century.

 

此外，鉴于古巴的历史，我认为古巴会继续奉行有时与美国利益截然相互抵触的外交政策，我不奢望我今天宣布的政策能在一夜之间带来古巴社会的转型。但我深信，通过保持接触的政策，我们可以更有效地捍卫我们的价值观，并帮助古巴人民通过自助迈入21世纪。

 

To those who oppose the steps I’m announcing today, let me say that I respect your passion and share your commitment to liberty and democracy.  The question is how we uphold that commitment.  I do not believe we can keep doing the same thing for over five decades and expect a different result.  Moreover, it does not serve America’s interests, or the Cuban people, to try to push Cuba toward collapse.  Even if that worked – and it hasn’t for 50 years – we know from hard-earned experience that countries are more likely to enjoy lasting transformation if their people are not subjected to chaos.  We are calling on Cuba to unleash the potential of 11 million Cubans by ending unnecessary restrictions on their political, social, and economic activities.  In that spirit, we should not allow U.S. sanctions to add to the burden of Cuban citizens that we seek to help.

 

对于那些反对我今天宣布的有关步骤的人士，我表示我尊重你们的热忱，赞同你们对自由和民主的承诺。问题是我们该如何坚守这一承诺。我不认为我们应该继续过去50年的政策而期待出现不同的结果。此外，试图让古巴走向崩溃并不符合美国的利益和古巴人民的利益。即使这一点行之有效――但过去50年并没有奏效――根据我们得之不易的经验，我们认识到，一个国家的人民如果没有内乱之忧，这个国家就更有可能实现持久的转变。我们呼吁古巴取消对1,100万古巴人民在政治、社会和经济活动方面不必要的限制，释放他们的潜力。本着这种精神，我们要求为古巴人民提供帮助，不应该使美国的制裁增加古巴公民的负担。

 

To the Cuban people, America extends a hand of friendship.  Some of you have looked to us as a source of hope, and we will continue to shine a light of freedom.  Others have seen us as a former colonizer intent on controlling your future.  José Martí once said, “Liberty is the right of every man to be honest.”  Today, I am being honest with you.  We can never erase the history between us, but we believe that you should be empowered to live with dignity and self-determination.  Cubans have a saying about daily life:  “No es facil” – it’s not easy.  Today, the United States wants to be a partner in making the lives of ordinary Cubans a little bit easier, more free, more prosperous.

 

对于古巴人民，美国向你们伸出友谊之手。你们有些人视我们为希望的源泉，我们将继续发出自由的光辉。另外有些人认为我们是意图控制你们未来的前殖民者。何塞·马蒂曾说道：“自由是每一个人能够做到抱诚守真的权利。”今天，我与你们真诚相待。我们永远不可能抹去我们之间的历史，但我们相信，你们应该获得自主权，实现有尊严的生活和自决的权利。古巴人有句描绘日常生活的话：“No es facil”——世事不易。如今，为了让古巴普通民众的生活得到一些改善，能够做到更自由、更繁荣，美国希望成为其中的一个伙伴。

 

To those who have supported these measures, I thank you for being partners in our efforts.  In particular, I want to thank His Holiness Pope Francis, whose moral example shows us the importance of pursuing the world as it should be, rather than simply settling for the world as it is; the government of Canada, which hosted our discussions with the Cuban government; and a bipartisan group of congressmen who have worked tirelessly for Alan Gross’s release, and for a new approach to advancing our interests and values in Cuba.

 

对于那些支持这些措施的人士，我感谢你们成为我们共同努力的伙伴。我特别要感谢教皇弗朗西斯，他的道德榜样向我们展示了追求世界本该有的境界而不是安于现状的重要性；感谢加拿大政府为我们与古巴政府进行讨论担任东道主；感谢两党国会议员为艾伦·格罗斯获释以及促进我们在古巴的利益和价值寻找新途径进行的不懈努力。

 

Finally, our shift in policy towards Cuba comes at a moment of renewed leadership in the Americas.  This April, we are prepared to have Cuba join the other nations of the hemisphere at the Summit of the Americas.  But we will insist that civil society join us so that citizens, not just leaders, are shaping our future.  And I call on all of my fellow leaders to give meaning to the commitment to democracy and human rights at the heart of the Inter-American Charter.  Let us leave behind the legacy of both colonization and communism, the tyranny of drug cartels, dictators and sham elections.  A future of greater peace, security and democratic development is possible if we work together – not to maintain power, not to secure vested interest, but instead to advance the dreams of our citizens.

 

最后，我们对古巴的政策转变正值美洲国家领导人重新调整之时。明年4月，我们准备让古巴与西半球其他国家一起出席美洲国家峰会。但是，我们将坚持公民社会也必须参与，使公民而不仅仅是领导人也能开创我们的未来。我呼吁有关领导人切实履行美洲国家宪章关于民主和人权的核心承诺。让我们摆脱殖民主义和共产主义的遗祸，抵制暴政和贩毒集团，摈弃独裁者和假选举。我们如果同心协力——不是为了把持权力，不是为了维护既得利益，而是为了实现我们全体公民的梦想，就可能实现更和平、更安全和更民主的未来。

 

My fellow Americans, the city of Miami is only 200 miles or so from Havana.  Countless thousands of Cubans have come to Miami – on planes and makeshift rafts; some with little but the shirt on their back and hope in their hearts.  Today, Miami is often referred to as the capital of Latin America.  But it is also a profoundly American city – a place that reminds us that ideals matter more than the color of our skin, or the circumstances of our birth; a demonstration of what the Cuban people can achieve, and the openness of the United States to our family to the South.  Todos somos Americanos.

 

我的美国同胞们，迈阿密距哈瓦那仅大约200英里之遥。已有无数古巴人来到迈阿密——或乘坐飞机，或通过自制的船筏；有些人只剩下身上的衬衫，但心中满怀希望。今天，迈阿密常被称为拉丁美洲之都，但也是非常美国化的城市。这个城市提醒我们，理想比肤色和我们出生的环境更重要；这个城市展示了古巴人民可以实现怎样的成就，也展示了美国对我们南部美洲大家庭成员的开放态度。Todos somos Americanos（ 我们都是美洲人）。

 

Change is hard – in our own lives, and in the lives of nations.  And change is even harder when we carry the heavy weight of history on our shoulders.  But today we are making these changes because it is the right thing to do.  Today, America chooses to cut loose the shackles of the past so as to reach for a better future – for the Cuban people, for the American people, for our entire hemisphere, and for the world.

 

变革并非易事――不仅仅指我们的个人生活，对于国家生活也是如此。当我们的肩上承载着历史重担的时候，变革尤为艰难。但是，今天我们正在促进这样的变革，因为这样做是正确的。今天，美国选择摆脱历史的桎梏，共创美好的未来——为了古巴人民，为了美国人民，也为了西半球和全世界人民。

 

Thank you.  God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

 

谢谢。愿上帝保佑你们，愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。 

 

来源：美国国务院

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