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　　U.S. troops will begin their drawdown in Iraq at the end of this month, but there still is no government in place and violence is on the rise. On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council urged Iraq's recently-elected legislature to form a government quickly.
美军将从这个月底开始减少在伊拉克的兵力，但伊拉克目前仍然没有一个政府，暴力活动不断增加。星期三，联合国安理会敦促伊拉克最近选举产生的立法机构尽快组建政府。
Iraq has been mired¹ in a political stalemate since legislative² elections in March left Shi'ite political factions³ vying⁴ for dominance, and the right to form a government and to choose a prime minister.
伊拉克自3月议会选举导致什叶派政治派别争夺主导权和组建政府、推选总理的权力以来，政治陷入僵局。
With the impasse⁵ unlikely to be resolved before the end of this month, when U.S. troops will drop to their lowest levels in Iraq since the war began in 2003, the U.N. Security Council pressed the legislators to work through their differences in "the national interest" and form "as quickly as possible, a government that is inclusive and represents the will of the Iraqi people."
在美国这个月底将驻伊部队减少到2003年战争开始以来的最低水平前，伊拉克政治僵局看上去无法得到解决。联合国安理会向伊拉克议员施压，要求他们“从国家利益出发”，努力消除分歧，尽快组建“一个广泛的、代表全体伊拉克人民意愿的政府”。
The U.N.'s top diplomat⁶ in Iraq, Ad Melkert, echoed the council's call, saying the delays are contributing to uncertainty⁷ and creating conditions that could be exploited by elements opposed to the country's democratic transition.
联合国负责伊拉克事务的最高外交官梅尔克特附和安理会的呼吁。他指出，这种拖延正导致不确定性，并创造会被反对伊拉克民主过渡的人利用的条件。
In a briefing to the Security Council, he noted⁸ that the delays are also affecting the rebuilding of the country's basic infrastructure⁹ and services. "Recent protests in a number of cities denouncing the lack of electricity is a sign of potentially growing disillusionment and anger over what has become a situation of daily life for the average Iraqi citizen," said Melkert.
梅尔克特在向安理会介绍情况时指出，这种拖延还影响了伊拉克重建基础设施和提供基本的服务。梅尔克特说：“最近一些城市出现抗议活动，对缺电表示不满，这是一个迹象，显示普通伊拉克人对这些已经成为生活常态的情况越来越失望和愤怒。”
Melkert said blackouts continue to persist nationally on average about nine hours a day. He also noted that national reconciliation¹⁰ needs to be a priority of the new government.
梅尔克特说，全国范围仍旧每天停电大约九小时。他还指出，民族和解是新政府的首要工作。
"This includes Arab-Kurdish relations, particularly as they relate to disputed internal boundaries, revenue-sharing, legislation related to hydrocarbons¹¹, the federal framework and the constitutional review process," he said.
梅尔克特：“这包括阿拉伯人和库尔德人的关系，特别是这种关系涉及有争议的内部边界，另外还有收入分配，与碳氢化合物相关的立法，联邦结构和宪法审查程序等问题。”
On the implications of the U.S. military drawdown for United Nation's operations, Melkert said his staff work and live under challenging conditions. He said the U.N.'s own security will need to be increased during this transition period, which will require adequate funding from member states.
至于美国减少驻伊军队会对联合国的行动产生什么影响，梅尔克特说，他的工作人员在困难的条件下工作和生活。在这个过渡阶段，联合国需要加强自己的安全，这将要求成员国提供充足资金。
The United States will end its combat mission in Iraq on August 31. Some 50,000 American troops will remain in the country to focus on training Iraqi soldiers and performing counterterrorism operations under a new mission called "Operation New Dawn."
美国定于8月31日结束在伊拉克的作战任务。大约5万名美军将继续留在伊拉克，重点是训练伊拉克士兵和执行反恐任务，这是一个新的叫作“新曙光行动”的部分内容。