VOA双语新闻 Armitage Goes to Middle East to Discuss Iraq

The Bush administration is sending Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to Turkey, Jordan and Syria later this week on a mission partly aimed at helping¹ improve prospects² for next month's Iraqi elections. The United States accuses Syria of harboring officials of the former Saddam Hussein regime.

布什政府派遣副国务卿阿米蒂奇于本星期晚些时候前往土耳其、约旦和叙利亚等国，他此行的使命之一是为下个月的伊拉克选举创造更有利的条件。美国指责叙利亚为前萨达姆政权的官员提供庇护。

The mission to the Middle East could be the last before Mr. Armitage and Secretary of State Colin Powell step down next month before the start of President Bush's second term.

这次出访有可能是阿米蒂奇作为副国务卿在布什政府开始第二届任期开始之前最后一次中东之行了。下个月，他将和鲍威尔国务卿一起离任。

Officials here say Mr. Armitage will be appealing to officials in the three countries, which have Sunni Muslim majorities, to do what they can to persuade Iraqi Sunnis to take part in next month's elections.

此间官员说，阿米蒂奇将向这三个以逊尼派穆斯林为主的国家的官员发出呼吁，希望他们尽可能说服伊拉克逊尼派穆斯林参加下个月的选举。

Iraqi Sunnis formed the political base of Saddam Hussein, and many now fear the January 30 elections for a Transitional National Assembly will be a vehicle for the assumption of power by majority Iraqi Shiites.

伊拉克逊尼派穆斯林曾经组成前萨达姆政权的政治基础。很多人担心，1月30号举行的过渡国民议会选举将成为占伊拉克人口大多数的什叶派穆斯林夺取权力的一个手段。

U.S. officials meanwhile are concerned that a low turnout by Sunnis, some of whom say they will boycott³ the elections, will undermine the credibility of the election process.

一些逊尼派穆斯林曾经威胁说要抵制选举，美国官员担心，如果逊尼派穆斯林参加投票的人太少，会使选举程序失去可信性。

In a series of Tuesday-morning television interviews, Secretary Powell said the United States is urging friends in the region to talk to Iraqi Sunni leaders, and encourage them to get their followers⁴ to come out and vote, even if there is danger associated with it because of the insurgency⁵.

星期二早上，在一连串的电视采访中，鲍威尔国务卿敦促该地区的盟友鼓励伊拉克逊尼派领导人号召他们的信徒参加投票，尽管他们面临叛乱的危险。

Mr. Powell said Iraqis want a freely elected government and that this is not a time, as he put it, to let tyrants⁶ and the terrorists take us back to the past.

鲍威尔说，伊拉克人希望能有一个自由选举产生的政府。他说，现在不是让暴君和恐怖分子拉我们走回头路的时候。

At a news briefing, State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli said the record of Syria on Iraq has been mixed, with the United States crediting the Damascus government with tightening⁸ controls on its border with Iraq somewhat.

美国国务院新闻发言人埃雷利在一个新闻发布会上说，叙利亚在伊拉克问题上的态度一向很复杂，美国对大马士革政府加紧对和伊拉克边界的控制表示赞许。

But the spokesman said more needs to be done, especially against former members of Saddam Hussein's government who the United States believes are operating from Syria.

但是，这位发言人说，叙利亚需要采取更多的行动，特别是对前萨达姆政权的成员要采取更多的行动。美国认为，他们中有些人在叙利亚进行活动。

"The continued presence of former regime elements in Syria who are working, we believe to the detriment⁹ of Iraq, and in support of the insurgency, is a problem and it's a problem that we think Syria needs to act to stop," he said.

埃雷利说，“前萨达姆政权的残余势力继续在叙利亚兴风作浪，他们祸国殃民，支持叛乱。我们认为，叙利亚需要采取行动，加以制止。”

A diplomat¹⁰ who spoke⁷ to reporters here said the United States considers Syrian help to the insurgency, however indirect, to be a major problem. He said one purpose of the Armitage mission will be to keep the heat, and the spotlight¹¹, on the Damascus government.

此间一位外交官对记者说，美国认为，叙利亚对伊拉克叛乱的帮助，无论有多么间接，都是一个重大问题。他说，阿米蒂奇此行的一个目的就是继续向大马士革政府施加压力，使它成为人们关注的对象。

Mr. Armitage will be accompanied to Syria and Jordan by William Burns, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.

随同阿米蒂奇访问叙利亚和约旦的有负责近东事务的助理国务卿伯恩斯。

For security reasons no details of their itinerary¹² were given, though reports from Turkey said the Deputy Secretary would arrive there next Sunday for meetings with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials.

鉴于安全原因，有关方面没有提供详细行程。但是，土耳其记者说，阿米蒂奇会在星期天抵达，和埃尔多安总理以及其他官员举行会谈。
 

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

3 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

4 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

5 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

6 tyrants   

专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a succession of tyrants. 这个国家接连遭受暴君的统治。
• The people suffered under foreign tyrants. 人民在异族暴君的统治下受苦受难。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

9 detriment   

n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源

参考例句：

• Smoking is a detriment to one's health.吸烟危害健康。
• His lack of education is a serious detriment to his career.他的未受教育对他的事业是一种严重的妨碍。

10 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

11 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

12 itinerary   

n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划

参考例句：

• The two sides have agreed on the itinerary of the visit.双方商定了访问日程。
• The next place on our itinerary was Silistra.我们行程的下一站是锡利斯特拉。