How does secrecy and government translators work?

Factual Questions
1

I’m thinking about George W. Bush talking with Hu Jin Tao this week. Hu may speak some English, perhaps even be fluent, but if Bush has something essential and complex to convey to him, he will need a translator.

So what if Bush wanted to talk about something quite secret or just something he does not want the public to know he is discussing with another world leader?

Are the translators bound to 100% secrecty about all things they translate while the men meet in private? What happens if they blab about the things they overhear? Are their laws and protocols for this kind of thing?

2

Note that two leaders like this are never alone, even if they speak the same language. There will be all sorts of aides and flunkies swirling around. The only time they are “alone” together are during photo-ops. (When they are merely on the opposite side of the room from everyone else.)

During the real meetings there might be 10-20 people at the conference table with a lot of others sitting behind them.

The translators are just another group of people who need security clearances to be in the room.

3

Everyone who attends the president is required to carry security clearances.

4

I’ve read recently an article about a former translator from the Kremlin. I don’t remember any particularily interesting tidbit of information, except that he was the russian translator for high-level meetings for most of the cold war. And also that of course he said it was a very hard job, since obviously not even the slighest error of interpretation is acceptable. I assume that this guy must have been one of the most closely watched individual. On the other hand, he wouldn’t have known anything that the “other side” didn’t know

Anyway, though it’s indeed not the norm, heads of states do sometimes meet without their respective staff to settle an issue. It’s occasionnally reported, if you pay attention.

5

Are there any “oversight” translators? Is it a singular effort, or are there teams? Surely, there must be some rapport between opposite translators?

6

Their are translators, and interpreters. Nothing official is going to be agreed to and signed without translators pouring over it. More informal discussions can be handled by interpreters and yes, it’s likely the opposite interpreters may develop a rapport and possible help each other out, if need be.

If lots of speeches and presentations are being given, you’d probably have a team of interpreters. Believe me, standing in front of a room full of important people and interpreting for an hour can be extremely exhausting.