美国国家公共电台 NPR--China brokers talks to restore diplomatic ties between Middle East rivals

China brokers² talks to restore diplomatic ties between Middle East rivals

Transcript³

Iran and Saudi Arabia announced Friday they plan to re-establish diplomatic relations, following talks hosted by China on the sidelines of a political conference.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We're following a surprising announcement today, a breakthrough between big, rival countries. Iran and Saudi Arabia are restoring diplomatic relations. As anybody who travels or lives in that region knows, this is a big deal. They are two rivals across the Persian Gulf⁴ from one another - or the Arabian Gulf, depending on which country you're talking about. They've opposed each other in proxy⁵ wars in Yemen and Syria. The Saudis accused Iran of attacks in Saudi Arabia, and Iran has said Saudi Arabia wants to topple their regime. Now they're restoring relations. And even more surprising, the deal was brokered⁶ by China. NPR international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam is covering all this. Jackie, good morning.

JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE⁷: Good morning, Steve.

INSKEEP: What, besides sending ambassadors across the way, have they agreed on?

NORTHAM: Well, you know, they are - as you say, they're going to try and reopen their embassies within about two months' time. You know, the one in - certainly in Tehran was closed about seven years ago, and that was when Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy there. And this was after the kingdom executed a leading Shia cleric. So those - you know, the embassies are going to reopen. But they're also - they've agreed to activate⁸ what's called a security cooperation agreement. And this was signed a couple of decades ago. So that's finally going to go ahead and reactivate an accord on trade - pardon me - trade and investment and the economy and that. So, you know, those are the sort of smaller details. The broader issue here, what's not on paper, is that this should help reduce tensions in the Gulf region. And that's really key for this agreement.

INSKEEP: What has made them rivals, if not enemies?

NORTHAM: Well, you know, as I said, there was this attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. And then a few years ago, there was a drone attack on one of Saudi Arabia's main oil facilities at Abqaiq, and that was blamed on Iran. Then Riyadh accused Iran of sponsoring and arming Houthi rebels in Yemen, which, you know, launched attacks on the kingdom. So, you know, you have all of that going on. But if we pull back the lens a bit, you know, this is really a rivalry⁹ between two major powers in the Gulf region and in the Islamic world. Iran is a Shia nation; Saudi Arabia a Sunni. And they both vie for leadership of the Islamic world. And - you know, and then, politically, Iran tends to ally with Russia and Saudi Arabia to - you know, allies with the U.S. So you've got all that going on, and that's really led to, you know, confrontations¹⁰ over the years.

INSKEEP: I appreciate the nuance¹¹ there, Jackie. The religious division is a big deal. If you go through Iran and meet a Sunni Muslim, they will be watched by the authorities. The same thing will be true with Shias in Saudi Arabia. But it's also about power. It's also about regional dominance. It's also about two oil powers that have a lot of money. Why would China, though...

NORTHAM: Sure.

INSKEEP: ...Be the country that would broker¹ a deal between them?

NORTHAM: Well, it could, you know, be China's, you know, attempt to ascending¹² in the world and on the geopolitical stage - let's face it. I mean, Iraq had tried to mediate¹³ between these two in the past, and they didn't have enough power to bring it about. China simply has more clout¹⁴ than something like Iraq. And, you know, it's also seen as a neutral player in the Gulf region. It also buys a lot of oil from both Saudi Arabia and Iran. You know, there's a lot of self-congratulation going on today on China's side, not surprisingly. Its foreign minister said China was a good-faith and reliable mediator¹⁵ and that this demonstrates its responsibility as a major nation. And, you know, that could (inaudible) as a swipe at the U.S., which has been the major outside power in the Middle East till now.

INSKEEP: Yeah, and there's much more to discuss here later, including the U.S. reaction to this agreement between a U.S. enemy and a U.S. ally. NPR's Jackie Northam. Thanks so much.

NORTHAM: Thanks so much, Steve.

1 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

2 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

6 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

9 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

10 confrontations   

n.对抗，对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时，这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定，第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句

11 nuance   

n.(意义、意见、颜色)细微差别

参考例句：

• These users will easily learn each nuance of the applications they use.这些用户会很快了解他们所使用程序的每一细微差别。
• I wish I hadn't become so conscious of every little nuance.我希望我不要变得这样去思索一切琐碎之事。

12 ascending   

adj.上升的，向上的

参考例句：

• Now draw or trace ten dinosaurs in ascending order of size.现在按照体型由小到大的顺序画出或是临摹出10只恐龙。

13 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

14 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。

15 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。