Former Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui, the island's first directly elected leader, was indicted Thursday on charges that he and a former economic adviser embezzled funds from Taiwan's National Security Bureau from 1994 to 1999.

　　台湾最高法院检察署周四说，已对前总统李登辉及其担任总统期间的经济顾问刘泰英提出起诉，指控他们在1994年至1999年期间侵占了国家安全局名下的资金。

　　The 88-year-old Mr. Lee, widely viewed as the father of democracy in Taiwan, and adviser Liu Tai-ying were accused of having used a fund that conducts secret diplomatic activities to embezzle US$7.8 million.

　　高检署在一份23页的声明中说，现年88岁、1988年至2000年期间执掌台湾的李登辉，和20世纪90年代掌管国民党财政的刘泰英，从一笔1,050万美元、本是用于外交活动的资金中侵占了780万美元。

　　The charges come just seven months ahead of the next presidential election, and analysts say they will have a strong impact on a recent thaw in economic relations with China.

　　这些指控提出的时间距台湾下一届总统选举只有七个月。分析人士说这些指控会对台湾和大陆最近解冻的经济关系造成很大影响。

　　In a statement, the Taiwan Supreme Prosecutors Office said Mr. Lee used the funds to set up a private think tank called Taiwan Research Institute. Prosecutors have been investigating Mr. Lee since 2002, when a media leak alleged embezzlement within the National Security Bureau, according to the 23-page indictment. Mr. Lee has repeatedly denied charges of embezzlement.

　　在一份声明中，台湾最高法院检察署说，李登辉利用这笔资金建立了一个名叫台湾综合研究院（Taiwan Research Institute）的私人智库。据一份长达23页的起诉书显示，自2002年以来检察官就一直在调查李登辉。当时一份经由媒体曝光的资料显示李登辉涉嫌侵占挪用国家安全局内部公款。李登辉多次否认侵占公款的指控。

　　Responding to the indictment, Mr. Lee's attorney, Wellington Koo, said Mr. Lee was questioned by the prosecutor May 31 but that there was insufficient evidence to charge him with the crime.

　　李登辉的辩护律师顾立雄（Wellington Koo）在回应起诉书时说，李登辉5月31日已经受到检察官的质询，但检察官证据不足，无法对李登辉提出相关指控。

　　"Furthermore, the prosecutor never gave the defendant a chance to argue his case before the indictment was handed down. The rights of the defendant were completely ignored," said Mr. Koo, who also defended former President Chen Shui-bian against corruption charges.

　　顾立雄说，此外，在起诉书下来之前，检察官从未给被告一个机会替自己辩护。被告的权利被完全忽视了。顾立雄此前也曾替被控贪污的前总统陈水扁辩护。

　　Mr. Chen, who succeeded Mr. Lee as president in 2000 and served two four-year terms, is in prison after being convicted on a range of corruption charges in 2009.

　　在2000年接替李登辉出任总统并成功连任的陈水扁目前在狱中服刑。2009年法院宣判陈水扁一系列贪腐罪名成立。

　　The prosecutor said a sentence for the crimes, if Mr. Lee is convicted, could range from 10 years to life, but noted that due to Mr. Lee's advanced age, any sentencing would likely be lenient.

　　检察官说，如果李登辉被定罪，可能被判10年有期徒刑到终生监禁。但鉴于李登辉的年龄，法院可能从轻发落。

　　Mr. Lee, the first Taiwanese president born on the island, is widely credited with ushering Taiwan into democracy after years of autocratic rule by Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo. Mr. Lee succeeded Chiang Ching-kuo as president of Taiwan in 1988 and in 1996 became the island's first directly elected president.

　　台湾脱离蒋介石及其儿子蒋经国的威权统治走向民主，被普遍归功于李登辉。李登辉于1988年接替故世的蒋经国担任台湾总统，1996年成为台湾第一位直接选举出来的总统。

　　Forced out of the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang, after stepping down from office in 2000 and setting up his own pro-independence party known as the Taiwan Solidarity Union, Mr. Lee has remained a powerful political figure in Taiwan and is a supporter of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party.

　　李登辉在2000年卸下总统职务后被迫退出国民党，他在台湾仍然是一个有实力的政治人物，目前是在野的民进党的支持者。

　　Taiwan Solidarity Union Chairman and close confidant to Mr. Lee, Huang Kun-huei, accused President Ma Ying-jeou of using his influence to sway the prosecutors, calling it a 'dirty trick' by Mr. Ma.

　　李登辉的密友、台湾团结联盟主席黄昆辉指责总统马英九利用其影响力左右检察官。黄昆辉将之称作马英九“肮脏的把戏”。

　　"This is Ma's way of getting revenge against former president Lee, who has urged voters to vote against him to safeguard Taiwan. Ma knows Lee's rallying cry could greatly impact voter sentiment before the presidential election," said Mr. Huang.

　　黄昆辉说，这是马英九报复前总统李登辉的手段。李登辉曾呼吁选民投票反对马英九以保卫台湾。马英九知道李登辉的煽动性口号会在总统大选前极大影响选民情绪。

　　The election is scheduled for Jan. 14, and will pit Mr. Ma against DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen.

　　按照计划，大选定于明年1月14日举行，马英九将和民进党主席蔡英文竞争总统职位。

　　A spokesman for the Presidential Office said the office would issue a statement later.

　　台湾总统办公室的一名发言人说，该部门随后会发布一份声明。