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Now, government can promote this cooperation, but ultimately individuals must advance this cooperation, because the greatest resource of any nation in the 21st century is you. It's people; it's young people especially. And the country which taps that resource will be the country that will succeed. That success depends upon economies that function within the rule of law. As President Medvedev has rightly said, a mature and effective legal system is a condition for sustained economic development. People everywhere should have the right to do business or get an education without paying a bribe. Whether they are in America or Russia or Africa or Latin America, that's not a American idea or a Russian idea -- that's how people and countries will succeed in the 21st century.
然而，政府雖能夠倡導這些合作，但最終還要靠每一個人來發展合作，因為對任何一個國家來說，21世紀的最寶貴資源是你們──是人；特別是年輕人。調動這項資源的國家將是一個成功的國家。而成功要基于在法治中運作的經濟。正如梅德韋杰夫總統所正確指出的，成熟和有效的法律體制是經濟持續發展的條件。人們在任何地方都應享有不靠行賄而經商或求學的權利，無論他們是在美國、在俄羅斯、在非洲、還是在拉丁美洲。這并不是美國的理念或俄羅斯的理念──這是人以及國家在21世紀的成功之路。
And this brings me to the fourth issue that I will discuss -- America's interest in democratic governments that protect the rights of their people.
接下來我準備講述的第四個問題是，保護本國人民權利的民主政府體現了美國的利益。
By no means is America perfect. But it is our commitment to certain universal values which allows us to correct our imperfections, to improve constantly, and to grow stronger over time. Freedom of speech and assembly has allowed women, and minorities, and workers to protest for full and equal rights at a time when they were denied. The rule of law and equal administration of justice has busted monopolies, shut down political machines that were corrupt, ended abuses of power. Independent media have exposed corruption at all levels of business and government. Competitive elections allow us to change course and hold our leaders accountable. If our democracy did not advance those rights, then I, as a person of African ancestry, wouldn't be able to address you as an American citizen, much less a President. Because at the time of our founding, I had no rights -- people who looked like me. But it is because of that process that I can now stand before you as President of the United States.
美國并非十全十美。但正是因為我們堅持某些普遍的價值觀，我們才有可能彌補不足之處，不斷努力改進，假以時日即可愈益強大。由于倡導言論自由和集會自由，婦女、少數族裔和工人可以在自己的權利被剝奪的時候為獲得全部的平等權利進行抗爭。由于實行法治和司法平等，壟斷被打破，腐敗的政治機器被關閉，濫用權力的行為被制止。由于存在獨立的媒體，工商業和政府的各級腐敗行為被公之于眾。由于采取競選制度，我們可以改弦易轍，責成領導人忠于職守。如果我國的民主沒有發揮促進這些權利的作用，那么我本人作為非洲裔的后代，就不可能以美國公民的身份向你們發表講話，更不可能以美國總統的身份站在這里。在我國建國之初，我還沒有什么權利——指當年和我類似的人們。但正是因為經歷了這樣的過程，現在我可以作為美國總統站在你們面前。
So around the world, America supports these values because they are moral, but also because they work. The arc of history shows that governments which serve their own people survive and thrive; governments which serve only their own power do not. Governments that represent the will of their people are far less likely to descend into failed states, to terrorize their citizens, or to wage war on others. Governments that promote the rule of law, subject their actions to oversight, and allow for independent institutions are more dependable trading partners. And in our own history, democracies have been America's most enduring allies, including those we once waged war with in Europe and Asia -- nations that today live with great security and prosperity.
因此，在世界各地，美國支持這些價值觀，因為它們是道義的，也因為它們是有效的。歷史的軌跡顯示，為民服務的政府生存壯大；為自身謀利的政府則非如此。代表民意的政府很少會導致國家墮落衰敗或恫嚇公民、挑起戰爭。那些促進法治、接受監督、容許獨立機構的政府是更為可靠的貿易伙伴。在美國自身歷史上，民主國家一直是我們最持久的同盟，其中包括我們曾與之交戰的歐洲和亞洲國家──這些國家如今享有極大的安全與繁榮。
Now let me be clear: America cannot and should not seek to impose any system of government on any other country, nor would we presume to choose which party or individual should run a country. And we haven't always done what we should have on that front. Even as we meet here today, America supports now the restoration of the democratically-elected President of Honduras, even though he has strongly opposed American policies. We do so not because we agree with him. We do so because we respect the universal principle that people should choose their own leaders, whether they are leaders we agree with or not.
但讓我明確這一點：美國不能夠也不應該謀求將任何政府體制強加于任何國家；我們也不會擅自認為應該由哪個政黨或個人主管國家。在這方面我們不是一向做得很理想。就在我們在這里聚會的今天，美國現在支持洪都拉斯民選總統復職，盡管他強烈反對美國的政策。我們這樣做并不是因為我們贊同他。我們這樣做是因為我們尊重這樣一個普世原則，即應該由人民選擇他們自己的領導人，無論我們對這些領導人贊同與否。
And that leads me to the final area that I will discuss, which is America's interest in an international system that advances cooperation while respecting the sovereignty of all nations.
由此引到我要討論的最后一個方面，即美國希望看到一個推動合作同時尊重所有國家主權的國際體制。
State sovereignty must be a cornerstone of international order. Just as all states should have the right to choose their leaders, states must have the right to borders that are secure, and to their own foreign policies. That is true for Russia, just as it is true for the United States. Any system that cedes those rights will lead to anarchy. That's why we must apply this principle to all nations -- and that includes nations like Georgia and Ukraine. America will never impose a security arrangement on another country. For any country to become a member of an organization like NATO, for example, a majority of its people must choose to; they must undertake reforms; they must be able to contribute to the Alliance's mission. And let me be clear: NATO should be seeking collaboration with Russia, not confrontation.
國家主權必須是國際秩序的根基。猶如所有國家應該有權選擇自己的領導人一樣，國家也必須有權保障自己邊境的安全和制定自己的外交政策。這包括俄羅斯，也包括美國。任何割讓那些權利的體制都將導致政治混亂。因此，我們必須將這一原則用于所有國家──其中包括像格魯吉亞和烏克蘭這樣的國家。美國將絕不把安全機制強加于另一個國家。例如，任何國家要成為北約組織的一員都必須是基于其大多數公民的意愿；這些國家必須實行改革；它們必須能夠為北約組織的使命貢獻力量。讓我明確表示：北約應該謀求與俄羅斯的合作，而不是對抗。
