2006年VOA标准英语-Azerbaijani President Rules Out Participat

By Stephanie Ho
Washington
26 April 2006
 
The president of the former Soviet¹ republic of Azerbaijan has begun a visit to the United States with a call for a diplomatic solution to the crisis over Iran's nuclear program. He also said he hopes Washington can help push for a solution to a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, the predominantly Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. The Azeri leader came Washington for several days of meetings.

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Ilham Aliyev (file photo)   
  

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev's first official stop was to address a session at the Council on Foreign Relations, a private foreign policy organization.

Azerbaijan has been helpful to the United States in the war on terror. So, it was perhaps not surprising that the Azeri leader was asked about his country's position on neighboring Iran, which is at the center of an international controversy² over its nuclear program. He voiced his trust in the United States but also made clear that Azerbaijan did not intend to be involved in any military action against Iran.

"In our relations with the United States, we have [a] very high level of mutual³ confidence and trust, and we'll continue our military cooperation because it's to the benefit of both countries. At the same time, Azerbaijan, of course, will not be engaged in any kind of potential operations against Iran, and our officials made it very clear, including myself, in the past," he said.

He expressed the hope that the issue of Iran's nuclear program can be resolved diplomatically and added that a settlement is important for regional security.

Georgetown University Professor Angela Stent said that although Mr. Aliyev may try to steer⁴ clear of discussions about Iran, it is an issue that will undoubtedly⁵ come up in his Washington meetings.

"They're [Azerbaijan] neighbors with Iran. They do have a military relationship with the United States, although I think he was clearly implying that they wouldn't be used in any U.S. military operation. It's still clearly an issue that has to be discussed," she said.

She says in the past, Washington has criticized Azerbaijan's human rights record. But now, she adds, the international crisis over Iran has apparently⁶ overshadowed that issue in the eyes of Washington officials.

"There were parliamentary elections last fall that were not judged free and fair. And they are going to be re-run again, but they haven't happened yet. And I think there are concerns about democratization and human rights, but I would think that at the moment, the issues, the strategic issues, must be considered to be more important," she said.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the U.S. government is trying to balance a wide range of issues in its relations with Azerbaijan.

"There are a number of significant interests in our relationship with Azerbaijan: human rights most definitely, democratic development most definitely, energy security, stability in the region, the fight against terror. And we pursue all of these in parallel, while at the same time sticking to our principles and not sacrificing expediency⁷ for principle," he said.

In his remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations, President Aliyev also referred to the problem with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, saying he hopes the United States "as a superpower," will contribute to the resolution of the conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous territory in southwestern Azerbaijan that is under Armenian occupation. A 1994 ceasefire ended years of bloody⁸ fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia, although the issue has yet to be resolved.

The Azeri leader will be in Washington several days. He meets with members of Congress and with officials from non-governmental groups such as Freedom House and Human Rights Watch. On Friday, he is scheduled to visit the Pentagon and the White House.

1 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 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。

4 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

5 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 expediency   

n.适宜；方便；合算；利己

参考例句：

• The government is torn between principle and expediency. 政府在原则与权宜之间难于抉择。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was difficult to strike the right balance between justice and expediency. 在公正与私利之间很难两全。 来自辞典例句

8 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。