VOA慢速英語:Conflict Presses Syrian Economy

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語經濟報道。

Eighteen months of conflict in Syria have hurt the country's economy. But in the capital, Damascus, a certain level of normalcy exists. Prices are higher. But goods are still available.

敘利亞長達18個月的沖突已經傷害了該國的經濟，但在首都大馬士革，經濟仍保持著一定水準。價格比較高，但商品仍然能買到。

VOA reporter Elizabeth Arrott recently visited Damascus. Her visit took place under the guidance of a Syrian government official.

美國之音記者伊麗莎白·阿羅特(Elizabeth Arrott)最近走訪了大馬士革，她是在敘利亞政府官員的陪同下進行了這次走訪。

She says the Spice Market of Old Damascus is an unusual sight in a country affected by civil war. Syrian military forces are striking nearby towns were rebels have support. But in the center of Damascus, business is good.

她說，在敘利亞這樣一個受內戰(zhàn)影響的國家，舊大馬士革香料市場的現(xiàn)狀不同尋常。敘利亞軍隊正在打擊反政府武裝支持的周邊城鎮(zhèn)，但在大馬士革市中心，生意還是不錯的。

One man operates a business once owned by his father and grandfather. He sells cumin, dried peppers, pine nuts and almonds.

某男子經營著從祖父、父親手里傳下來的一門生意，出售孜然、干辣椒、松子和杏仁。

He says work is about the same, but prices have gone up. This has affected both his customers and business. He is thankful that supplies are still arriving at his shop. But he says people are cutting back, and mainly buying only essential goods.

他說生意一如往常，但價格漲上去了，這影響到了他的生意和客戶。他對貨源未斷心存感激。但他說，人們開始縮減消費，主要只購買一些必需品。

Another shopkeeper says business has fallen.

另一位店主說生意差了。

"You know we live in a very difficult atmosphere, the atmosphere of crisis."

他說，“要知道我們生活在危機的緊張氣氛中。”

Afif Dala is with the Syrian Ministry of Economy and Trade. He says Western restrictions on Syria for its violent reaction to government opponents have caused problems. But the government has worked to keep business in the capital normal.

阿菲夫·達拉(Afif Dala)就職于敘利亞經貿部，他說西方國家由于敘利亞政府暴力打擊反對派而對敘利亞進行限制造成了這一局面。但敘利亞政府一直在努力維持首都的商業(yè)正常。

"But the Syrian economy actually depends on itself. There is a self-sufficiency in the Syrian economy because the Syrian economy is very diverse."

達拉說，“敘利亞經濟實際上主要依賴自身。敘利亞經濟能夠自給自足，因為敘利亞經濟是非常多樣化的。”

Syria, however, also seeks help from outside the country. Russia, China and Venezuela are major trade partners of Syria.

然而敘利亞還是向其它國家尋求幫助。俄羅斯、中國和委內瑞拉是敘利亞的主要貿易伙伴。

"There are a lot of countries, actually, because finally the interests, the economic interests between countries are talk, not anything else. It is not a moral thing, the Syrian economy, only; also its interests."

達拉說，“有很多國家最終談的實際都是國與國之間的利益。它不牽扯道德問題，敘利亞經濟也只是利益而已。”

But conditions in Syria are important to other countries. This is especially true when many thousands of people have been killed in violence across Syria. This has forced tens of thousands of people to cross the border to escape the conflict.

但敘利亞局勢對其它國家非常重要，尤其是當敘利亞各地有成千上萬人死于暴力之際更是如此。這種情況使得數萬人越過邊境躲避沖突。

This week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Syria at a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul. He said actions of Turkey's neighbor are "hurting the heart of humanity and the whole Islamic world."

本周，土耳其總理雷杰普·塔伊普·埃爾多安(Recep Tayyip Erdogan)在伊斯坦布爾舉行的伊斯蘭合作組織的一次會議上批評敘利亞。他說，土耳其領國(指敘利亞)的行為“有損仁愛之心，傷害了整個伊斯蘭世界。”

Mr. Erdogan said there are almost one hundred thousand Syrian refugees in Turkey. And he expects more will enter as they flee fighting between Syrian government and rebel forces.

埃爾多安先生說，目前有近10萬敘利亞難民進入了土耳其境內。他預計會有更多難民為了逃離敘利亞政府軍和叛軍之間的戰(zhàn)斗而進入土耳其。