印度要求英国归还女王王冠上镶嵌的巨钻

AS IT IS 2016-04-23 India Wants to Recover Crown Jewel from Britain 印度要求英国归还女王王冠上镶嵌的巨钻

The Indian government has launched an effort to recover a priceless diamond from Britain.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond was given to Britain’s Queen Victoria as a present in 1850, when India was a British colony. The diamond is now kept as part of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.

Ownership of the Koh-i-Noor was the subject of a hearing this week in India’s highest court.

Solicitor¹ General Ranjit Kumar told the Supreme² Court Monday that the diamond belonged to Great Britain. “It was given to the British as compensation for help in the Sikh Wars,” he said. “The Koh-i-Noor is not a stolen object.”

His comments shocked many Indians.

In a written statement, India’s Ministry³ of Culture said the government does not agree with Kumar’s position. The statement said the government would like to bring back the diamond in what it called “an amicable⁴ manner.”

Media reports say India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have each tried to claim ownership of the Koh-i-noor. In recent years, the four nations have demanded its return from Britain.

The mother of Queen Elizabeth II wore the diamond in her crown prior to her death in 2002.

The name Koh-i-Noor means "Mountain of Light" in Persian. Several media sources reported the diamond to be worth as much as $200 million.

Words in This Story

compensation – n. payment

amicable – adj. showing a polite and friendly desire to avoid disagreement and argument

manner – n. a way in which something is done

crown – n. an object shaped like a circle that is worn on the head of a king or queen

1 solicitor   

n.初级律师，事务律师

参考例句：

• The solicitor's advice gave me food for thought.律师的指点值得我深思。
• The solicitor moved for an adjournment of the case.律师请求将这个案件的诉讼延期。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 amicable   

adj.和平的，友好的；友善的

参考例句：

• The two nations reached an amicable agreement.两国达成了一项友好协议。
• The two nations settled their quarrel in an amicable way.两国以和睦友好的方式解决了他们的争端。