VOA慢速英語：馬蒂斯指責俄羅斯干涉馬其頓更名投票

Mattis Accuses Russia of Interfering in Macedonian Vote

馬蒂斯指責俄羅斯干涉馬其頓更名投票

American Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has accused Russia of trying to influence a planned vote in Macedonia. The vote could open a path for the country to join NATO.

美國國防部長馬蒂斯指責俄羅斯試圖干涉馬其頓一項預定投票。這次投票可以為該國加入北約開辟道路。

Mattis spoke to reporters traveling with him to Skopje, the Macedonian capital.

馬蒂斯對與他一同前往馬斯頓首都斯科普里的記者發(fā)表了講話。

He said he had "no doubt" that Moscow had given money to pro-Russian groups to defeat the vote about changing Macedonia's name. A name change would end a dispute with Greece, which has territory of the same name. Greece has repeatedly blocked Macedonia's request to join NATO.

他說，莫斯科毫無疑問已經(jīng)向親俄羅斯團體提供資金以阻撓馬其頓更名的投票。更名能結(jié)束該國與擁有同一名稱領(lǐng)土的希臘的爭議。希臘一再阻止了馬其頓加入北約的請求。

Mattis said, "We ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds.''

馬蒂斯表示：“我們應(yīng)該讓馬其頓人民自己做出決定。”

Macedonians will vote on September 30th to decide on the possible name change. In June, Greece and Macedonia agreed that Macedonia would change its name. In return Greece would end its objections to Macedonia's request to join NATO.

馬其頓人將在9月30日投票決定這次可能的更名。今年6月，希臘同馬其頓商定馬其頓會更改其名稱。作為回報，希臘將停止反對馬其頓加入北約。

Other Western leaders had accused Russia of interference in the issue earlier, including the Chancellor of Germany and the chief of NATO. In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of giving money to groups against the name change. Russia objected to the expulsions as baseless.

其他西方領(lǐng)導人早些時候也曾指責俄羅斯干涉這個問題，其中包括德國總理和北約秘書長。今年7月，希臘驅(qū)逐了兩名俄羅斯外交官，他們被控向反對更名的團體提供資金。俄羅斯對這次驅(qū)逐表示反對，稱其毫無依據(jù)。

The dispute over the name began when Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece argued that the use of the name was an insult to Greek history. Officials also said sharing the name could lead to a Macedonian claim on the Greek territory named Macedonia.

當馬其頓1991年從南斯拉夫獲得獨立時，這個名稱的爭議就開始了。希臘認為使用這個名稱是對希臘歷史的冒犯。官員們還說，分享這個名稱可能會導致馬其頓對同樣名為馬其頓的希臘領(lǐng)土進行聲索。

More than 100 United Nations member-countries recognize Macedonia officially as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

100個聯(lián)合國會員國認可馬其頓的正式名稱為前南斯拉夫馬其頓共和國。

The vote will ask Macedonians to decide if they want to join the EU and NATO by "accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?" If the majority vote "yes" the country will be renamed the "Republic of North Macedonia."

這次投票要求馬其頓人決定他們是否愿意通過接受馬其頓共和國和希臘共和國之間的決議加入歐盟和北約。如果贊成票占多數(shù)，該國將會更名為北馬其頓共和國。

I'm Caty Weaver.

凱蒂·韋弗報道。