OSCE Chief Promises Freedom, Tolerance, Democracy（在线收听）

OSCE Chief Promises Freedom, Tolerance, Democracy

Melanie Sully

The new head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says messages of freedom, tolerance, and democracy are crucial for former communist countries. The official is Bulgaria's foreign minister, Solomon Passy, a former dissident.

Mr. Passy told reporters the OSCE represented a beacon of hope for his generation living behind the Iron Curtain. He says that today, people in countries like Turkmenistan still need that type of beacon.

The former Soviet central Asian republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan remain largely cut off from the outside world and are frequently criticized by the OSCE and other organizations for human rights violations.

OSCE officials say harassment of journalists, torture and censorship are common in those countries. Some OSCE officials want to expel Turkmenistan, which they feel the biggest culprit.

But Mr. Passy, who will chair the 55-member organization for the coming year, said the international community must not abandon the people there.

"I believe that whatever piece of information we can convey to Turkmenistan and to any other country will be of help. Freedom and democracy need first of all information and that's why information is a crucial element in our policies."

Mr. Passy went on to cite his own experience as an opposition activist during the cold war, when, he said, information from foreign sources was crucial.

"Isolation is counterproductive. We need dialogue, which however should be dialogue with the people. I remember from my youth how important [were] the messages coming from Radio Free Europe, from the Voice of America, from the BBC and Deutsche Welle."

Mr. Passy said for this reason education will be one his main priorities as OSCE chief. He said education is important for the establishment of democratic institutions, and to promote tolerance and create successful market economies.

Mr. Passy said the OSCE will hold a special conference in Berlin this year on anti-Semitism, which is growing in Europe.

注释：

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)  欧洲安全与合作组织，缩写OSCE。

crucial [5kru:FiEl] adj. 至关紧要的

Bulgaria [bQl5^ZEriE] n. 保加利亚，欧洲东南部的一个国家，位于黑海岸边。

dissident [5dIsIdEnt] n. 持异议者

beacon [5bi:kEn] n. 灯塔

Iron Curtain  铁幕，第二次世界大战后在苏联集团和西欧之间设置的军事，政治和意识形态上的屏障。

Turkmenistan [7tE:kmeni5stB:n] n. 土库曼斯坦，亚洲中西部的一个历史上的区域，位于里海以东。

Uzbekistan [7uzbeki5stB:n] n. 乌兹别克斯坦，亚州中西部的一个历史地区。

Tajikistan [tB:dViki5stB:n] n. 塔吉克斯坦

Kyrgyzstan  吉尔吉斯斯坦

Kazakhstan [7kB:zB:k5stB:n] n. 哈萨克斯坦，苏联的中亚南部一区，位于里海东北部。

cut off  切断，断绝

harassment [5hArEsmEnt] n. 折磨

torture [5tC:tFE] n. 折磨，拷打

censorship [5sensEFip] n. 审查

expel [iks5pel] v. 驱逐

culprit [5kQlprit] n. 犯人，罪犯

chair [tFZE] n. 任会议主席

activist [5Aktivist] n. 激进主义分子

counterproductive [5kauntEprE7dQktiv] adj. 达不到预期目标的

Radio Free Europe  自由欧洲广播电台

Deutsche Welle  德国之声

priority [prai5Criti] n. 优先（权）

anti-Semitism n. 反犹太主义，排犹