Bush Wants Free Trade with Colombia (2/2)

Mr. Bush says Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has addressed those issues by demobilizing thousands of paramilitary units and naming an independent prosecutor to pursue cases involving attacks against labor leaders.

The president told a gathering of U.S. business leaders on the South Lawn of the White House that approving the deal is the best way to support President Uribe, who is battling rebels and illegal drug traffickers while speaking out against the anti-American rhetoric of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.

"If we were to turn our back on Colombia by rejecting the free trade agreement, it would send a terrible signal to leaders willing to be courageous. It would send a bad signal to our friends. In the case of Colombia, it would send a bad signal to the voices of false populism in South America."

Colombia is the largest export market for U.S. agricultural products in South America. Two-way trade between the countries last year totaled $18 billion.

参考译文：

布什总统说哥伦比亚总统阿尔瓦罗·乌里奇已经着手处理这些事件。他解散了上千个准正规军事组织，并任命一位独立检察官调查有关工会领导人受袭击的案件。

一次在白宫南草坪举行的聚会上，总统对在场的美国商业领导人说通过该协定是对乌里奇总统的最好的支持。乌里奇总统目前正致力于打击反对派和非法毒品贩卖商，并且发表言论公开批驳委内瑞拉总统雨果·查韦斯的反美煽词。

“如果我们背弃哥伦比亚，拒绝通过自由贸易协定，就会给那些本来勇敢无畏的领导人发出可怕的信号，给我们的盟友发出可怕的信号。” 布什总统说，“在哥伦比亚问题上，也会给南美那些伪民粹主义的声音发出错误的信号。”

哥伦比亚是美国在南美最大的农产品出口市场。去年两国的双边贸易总额达到180亿美元。

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