歐佩克擔憂美元貶值

　　石油輸出國組織(OPEC，簡稱歐佩克)將進一步研究美元不斷貶值對其經濟體的影響。此前，有成員國呼吁歐佩克以美元以外的貨幣為石油定價。

　　Opec is to study further the effect of the falling US dollar on its economies following calls for it to price oil in currencies other than the greenback.

　　此舉出現在歐佩克領導人在利雅得舉行的峰會上，其目的是彌合該組織內部在如何應對美元貶值方面的分歧。此前，伊朗和委內瑞拉敦促歐佩克改變以美元為石油定價的做法，但遭到此次峰會主辦國沙特阿拉伯的強烈反對。

　　The move, which emerged at the summit of cartel leaders in Riyadh, was an attempt to bridge the divide within the group over how to respond to the dollar’s decline. Iran and Venezuela had pushed for Opec to move away from the dollar in the face of strong opposition from the summit’s host, Saudi Arabia.

　　伊朗總統馬哈茂德·艾哈邁迪-內賈德(Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad)在領導人峰會后表示，美元不斷貶值意味著，石油生產國正在為美國政府及其人民提供補貼。

　　Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, Iran’s president, said after the leaders’ meeting that the falling dollar meant oil producers were subsidising the US government and people.

　　“他們得到我們的石油，卻給我們一張毫無價值的紙，”他表示?！拔覀兌贾烂涝獩]有經濟價值?！?/P>

　　“They get our oil and give us a worthless piece of paper,” he said. “We all know that the US dollar has no economic value.”

　　今年美元兌一籃子主要貨幣已下跌16%，并且自歐佩克于2000年在委內瑞拉的加拉加斯舉行上一屆峰會以來，美元兌歐元匯率已累計下跌44%。伊朗官員表示，今年迄今為止，他們每桶石油的平均價格是63美元，較2006年同期僅高出2美元。如果折算為歐元，今年的油價比去年更便宜。

　　The dollar has dropped 16 per cent this year against a basket of major currencies, and 44 per cent against the euro since the last Opec summit in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2000. Iranian officials have said that the average price of a barrel of their oil so far this year is, at $63, only $2 higher than for the same period of 2006. Priced in euros, oil has been cheaper this year than last year.

　　歐佩克成員國的財長和外長計劃數周后在阿布扎比舉行會議，討論美元的影響。歐佩克在此次峰會的閉幕宣言中間接地暗示了這一點。

　　Finance and foreign ministers from Opec countries are to meet in Abu Dhabi in the next few weeks to discuss the effect of the dollar, a move hinted at in an oblique reference in the summit’s closing declaration.

　　沙特阿拉伯外交大臣沙特·費薩爾親王(Prince Saud Al-Faisal)上周五警告稱，如果在該宣言中提及美元，美元可能“崩盤”。

　　On Friday, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, warned that the dollar could “collapse” if the US currency was mentioned in the declaration.

　　他本該是在閉門的部長級會議上發表的這番言論，卻不小心通過話筒被記者聽到。

　　His remarks – made in what was supposed to be a closed ministerial meeting – were accidentally broadcast to reporters.

　　在峰會之后，費薩爾親王淡化了部長們進一步研究美元問題的重要性。他表示，此舉不具有任何“隱藏含義”，只是反映出歐佩克成員國“實現其資源回報最大化”的責任。

　　After the summit, Prince Saud played down the significance of the ministers’ further examination of the dollar problem, saying it did not have any “hidden implications” and reflected Opec members’ duty ”to maximise the return from their resources”.