路透社记者 Matt Spetalnick & Susan Cornwell

大耳朵编辑 lhp_0_lhp 编译

WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - After causing weeks of embarrassment for the U.S. intelligence community, the Edward Snowden saga has now cast a shadow over international efforts to end the Syrian civil war and deal with Iran, and could also undermine White House hopes for a nuclear arms reduction deal.

路透社华盛顿8月2日 - 爱德华·斯诺登的泄密事件数周来令美国情报界无比难堪，而今更可能影响国际社会为结束叙利亚内战和遏制伊朗核计划所作努力，还可能影响美国提出的美俄削减核武器谈判。

Russia's decision on Thursday to grant asylum to Snowden threatens to send already-strained relations between the United States and Russia to the lowest point in years and further complicate efforts to work out geopolitical challenges.

俄罗斯周四决定对美国国家安全局承包商前雇员斯诺登提供临时庇护，这可能令本已紧张的美俄关系恶化，进而影响到双方在应对地缘政治挑战方面的合作。

With Russia's sheltering of the former U.S. spy agency contractor seen as a slap in the face to President Barack Obama, the White House is weighing whether he should now back out of a Moscow summit in early September, in a direct snub to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

俄罗斯此举不啻于一巴掌打在了美国总统奥巴马的脸上，美国称正重新评估两国元首峰会的可能性。

While the Kremlin played down any bilateral friction, Obama administration officials and top lawmakers suggested it would not be business as usual now that Russia has given Snowden a year's asylum and allowed him to leave Moscow's airport after more than five weeks in limbo.

虽然克里姆林宫淡化两国因此发生摩擦的可能性，但美国政府高官和议员则暗示，由于俄罗斯向斯诺登提供为期一年的庇护，允许他离开已逗留逾五周的莫斯科机场，两国关系不会一如往常。

"The political climate in Washington on Russia is poisonous," said Andrew Weiss, a former Russia adviser to President Bill Clinton. "There was already plenty of anger toward Russia brewing in the political establishment. Snowden is an accelerant."

“俄罗斯在华盛顿的政治气候是不健康的， ”安德鲁·魏斯说，他是前总统比尔·克林顿的俄罗斯专家。“对俄罗斯政治举措已经酝酿了不少的反感。斯诺登事件更是恶化了这种气候。 ”

The long list of U.S. differences with Russia is topped by Moscow's support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war even as Obama has led international calls for him to step aside. Worsened ties between the United States and Russia could now make it even more difficult for them to cooperate in arranging Syrian peace talks aimed at a political solution.

美国与俄罗斯的重要分歧之一，就在于俄罗斯对叙利亚总统阿萨德的支持，即使以奥巴马为首的国际社会要求他下台。而若美俄关系恶化，两国在政治解决叙利亚和谈问题上合作的难度甚至会更大。

With Iran about to install newly elected President Hassan Rouhani, who has signaled greater willingness to negotiate over its disputed nuclear program, there are also concerns in Washington that Russia may break ranks with Western countries seeking to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions through tough sanctions.

而在伊朗新总统鲁哈尼将上任之际，华府担心俄罗斯可能在遏制伊朗核计划方面与西方唱反调。

On human rights, the United States and Russia remain deeply at odds.

此外，美俄在**问题上也存在严重分歧。

For his part, Putin has used Washington's pursuit of Snowden, who accuses the Obama administration of hypocrisy for chiding him on human rights.

普京以美国通缉斯诺登为例，抨击奥巴马政府在**问题上表现虚伪。

Obama's first major decision is whether to go ahead with a one-on-one summit with Putin in Moscow next month.

对奥巴马而言，当务之急是要决定下月与普京的一对一峰会是否要按计划举行。

Scrapping the meeting might not antagonize Russia too badly. But it would be a different story if Obama decides not to attend the Putin-hosted summit of G20 leaders in St. Petersburg shortly afterwards - something considered unlikely.

如果只是取消双边峰会，可能还不至于太过惹恼俄罗斯，但若奥巴马决定不参加9月在圣彼得堡举行的20国集团（G20）峰会，情况就将另当别论，不过这样的可能性非常低。

Despite increased strains, no one is predicting a rupture in relations between Washington and Moscow. Many believe the two sides will go through a period of drift but ultimately find a way to "compartmentalize" their disagreements and move on.

虽然两国紧张关系加剧，但没人认为两国会彻底翻脸。许多人认为，双方最终还是会求同存异。