欧洲－欧洲希望在布什第二任期同美国建立新的国际关系

 

Europe Hopes for New Relationship with US During Bush Second Term

 

European governments are hoping for a new relationship with the United States during President Bush's second term and say trans-Atlantic ties will be closely linked to what Washington does to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians. As Europeans reconcile themselves to four more years of the Bush presidency¹, they are emphasizing that relations should be based on mutual² respect.

 

No one in London, Paris or Berlin believes the trans-Atlantic alliance can go back to what it was before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. But one theme that crops up in conversations with European diplomats³ is that, although the United States may be the world's only superpower, it is not omnipotent⁴ and cannot fix the world's problems on its own terms.

 

That message has been stressed recently by Michel Barnier, the foreign minister of France, a country whose ties with the United States have not been particularly warm since Paris opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

 

Mr. Barnier has been calling for U.S.-European relations to be put on a new footing, one in which each side of the Atlantic listens to what the other has to say. There are just too many challenges in the world, he says, and the United States cannot face them alone.

 

Michel Barnier: We can't face them effectively, Europeans and Americans apart. We need to be together on these challenges. We are already together. But we have to work together in the broader sense and, probably, in what I call a new trans-Atlantic relationship and getting the habit to talk more to each other, even when we don't agree.

 

Mr. Barnier says France and the rest of Europe want to put the arguments with Washington over Iraq behind them. European diplomats say that it is in everybody's interest to sort out what one calls "the huge mess in Iraq". The issue, they say, is whether an inevitable⁵ retreat from Iraq leaves behind a passably stable Iraqi state or civil war.

 

European governments are hoping that President Bush will invest more time on the Middle East peace process. One top official at the European Union says he hopes a president who does not have to think about re-election and is probably thinking about his place in history will adopt a more even-handed and less pro-Israel stance when tackling the Middle east conflict.

 

Mr. Bush is scheduled to visit Europe next month in what U.S. diplomats say is a gesture meant to show sensitivity to Europe's concerns.

 

French foreign minister Barnier says both Europeans and Americans should try to reach out to each other.

 

Michel Barnier: A new relationship means that we respect each other and that we listen to each other. We are allies. Alliance is not submission⁶, and we can disagree on certain subjects.

 

Roger Wilkison, VOA news, Brussels.

 

注释：

reconcile to 接受

crop up 突然出现

omnipotent [Cm5nipEtEnt] adj. 无所不能的

inevitable [in5evitEbl] adj. 不可避免的，必然的

submission [sEb5miFEn] n. 屈服，服从

1 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

2 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 omnipotent   

adj.全能的，万能的

参考例句：

• When we are omnipotent we shall have no more need of science.我们达到万能以后就不需要科学了。
• Money is not omnipotent,but we can't survive without money.金钱不是万能的，但是没有金钱我们却无法生存。

5 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

6 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。