2006年VOA标准英语-Iraqi Foreign Minister Says Forming Govern

By Stephanie Ho
Washington
02 April 2006

Iraq's foreign minister says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary Jack¹ Straw have conveyed their impatience² with the slow formation of an Iraqi government. The message was delivered during a surprise visit the two western officials made to Baghdad.

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US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, second right and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in Iraq Sunday April 2, 2006   
  

Iraqis voted in Parliamentary elections in December, but more than three months later, political wrangling³ has hampered⁴ the formation of a unity⁵ government.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told CNN's Late Edition television program that this issue was the priority of a two-part message delivered by Secretary of State Rice and British Foreign Secretary Straw.

"One, there is a sense of urgency to form this new Iraqi national unity government," said Hoshyar Zebari. "And, second is, there is a sense of impatience back in Washington and London about the delay in the formation of this government. And, they were urging us, as well as all the other Iraqi leaders, to accelerate efforts to form this government."
 

Hoshyar Zebari  
  
Zebari acknowledged that the main stumbling block is disagreement over the nomination⁶ of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to continue in this position.

"There are a number of parliamentary blocks, who raised questions about him [Jaafari] leading the next full term government, for four years," he said. "And, all the main parliamentary blocks have written to the main United Iraqi Alliance, the Shia block, to reconsider his nomination. But, still, there is a deadlock⁷ on this."

He adds that the dominant⁸ Shi'ite block still strongly supports Prime Minister Jaafari.

"And they have not changed views and opinion on him," he noted⁹. "They believe that, if Jaafari goes, they go. That is why it is not an easy issue. This - we tried over the last few weeks to resolve this issue amicably¹⁰, by consensus¹¹. But it seems that the issue will not be resolved, and it will go to the Parliament, to be settled there."

Kurdish and Sunni leaders say Prime Minister Jaafari has failed to stem Iraq's insurgency¹².

Secretary of State Rice and Foreign Secretary Straw met with top Iraqi leaders in Baghdad, amid tight security, in a joint¹³ effort to encourage speedy resolution of the political process.

Meanwhile, Senator John McCain, who recently returned from a visit to Iraq, said lack of progress there is directly related to dwindling¹⁴ support among Americans for continued U.S. involvement there. He spoke¹⁵ on the NBC television program, Meet the Press.

"I think the American people are very nervous," said John McCain. "They are disappointed with our lack of progress, and that is why we have got to show progress."

He also urged Iraqi politicians to resolve their differences, calling the failure to agree on a government a "great impediment to real progress in Iraq."

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

3 wrangling   

v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The two sides have spent most of their time wrangling over procedural problems. 双方大部分时间都在围绕程序问题争论不休。 来自辞典例句
• The children were wrangling (with each other) over the new toy. 孩子为新玩具（互相）争吵。 来自辞典例句

4 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

7 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

8 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 amicably   

adv.友善地

参考例句：

• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The couple parted amicably. 这对夫妻客气地分手了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

12 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

13 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

14 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

15 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。