亚洲－声称违背停火协议，印巴关系紧张

 

India, Pakistan Tensions Mount over Alleged¹ Cease-Fire Violation²

 

India has accused Pakistan of violating a 14-month cease-fire in the disputed Kashmir region.

 

Indian defense³ officials accused the Pakistani Army of firing at least 15 mortar⁴ shells across the border last Tuesday in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir state, in violation of a 14-month cease-fire.

 

India says it was the first time weapons of this caliber⁵ had been fired since the cease-fire.

 

Amid the tension, senior military officials from both countries spoke⁶ Wednesday morning on a special defense hotline.

 

The deputy chief of the Indian Army, Lieutenant⁷ General Bhupinder Singh Thakur, says New Delhi is reacting prudently⁸ to give Pakistan time to investigate.

 

Bhupinder Singh Thakur: As far as our reaction is concerned we take it as a violation of the cease-fire. And we would like to use restraint, and that is what we have done so far and we have not retaliated¹⁰. But I am sure the Pakistan government will consider this case in all its seriousness.

 

But Pakistani military spokesman, Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan, denied any official responsibility for the incident.

 

Shaukat Sultan Khan: There is no firing done by Pakistan across the line of control nor anyone else fired from the Pakistan side. We don't know what could be causes of those explosions or who might have done those explosions. We don't know. They are inside their territory and there is none from Pakistan side.

 

The Line of Control, which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, was reported to be quiet on Wednesday.

 

It had been one of the world's most volatile¹¹ borders for decades with regular exchanges of artillery¹² fire between the two armies positioned just meters from each other.

 

But the border has been calm since the two rivals called the cease-fire in November 2003 following a series of peace overtures¹⁴. Both countries are now in the midst of a peace dialogue aimed at normalizing their tense relations. The dialogue is making slow progress, and there are few signs that the two sides are any closer to resolving their dispute over the Kashmir region, which is claimed by both countries.

 

Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh is due to visit Pakistan next month to carry the peace process forward.

 

Anjana Pasricha, for VOA news, New Delhi.

 

注释：

Kashmir [5kAFmiE] n. 克什米尔（约2/5弱为巴基斯坦控制，其余为印度控制）

Jammu [5dVQmu:] 查谟（位于亚洲查谟和克什米尔的西南）

caliber [5kAlIbE(r)] n. 口径，弹径

Lieutenant General 中将

prudently [5pru:dEntli] adv. 谨慎地，慎重地

retaliate⁹ [ri5tAlieit] v. 报复

divide between 在……之间分配

rival [5raivEl] n. 竞争者，对手

overture¹³ [5EuvEtjuE] n. 建议

normalize [5nC:mElaiz] v. （使）正常化

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

5 caliber   

n.能力；水准

参考例句：

• They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
• We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

6 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。

7 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

8 prudently   

adv. 谨慎地，慎重地

参考例句：

• He prudently pursued his plan. 他谨慎地实行他那计划。
• They had prudently withdrawn as soon as the van had got fairly under way. 他们在蓬车安全上路后立即谨慎地离去了。

9 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

10 retaliated   

v.报复，反击( retaliate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• When he once teased her for her inexperience, she retaliated. 有一次，他讥讽她没有经验，她便反唇相讥。 来自辞典例句
• The terrorists retaliated by killing three policemen. 恐怖分子以杀死三名警察相报复。 来自辞典例句

11 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

12 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

13 overture   

n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉

参考例句：

• The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
• His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。

14 overtures   

n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲

参考例句：

• Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句