2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Travels to Vienna for EU Talks

By Paula Wolfson
Vienna
20 June 2006

President Bush is on his way to Vienna for talks with leaders of the European Union that are expected to focus on Iran's nuclear program, the war against terror and trade. There is a full agenda for the annual trans-Atlantic summit, including security and economic issues.

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President Bush waves as he departs the White House with first lady Laura Bush, Tuesday  
  
White House National Security Adviser¹ Steve Hadley says promoting freedom and democracy and winning the war on terror top the list.

"We are seeking to enhance cooperation in promoting democracy in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Latin America," he said. "On the security front, the leaders will set priorities for U.S. - EU counter-terrorism cooperation, particularly countering terrorist financing and efforts to prevent terrorist access to weapons of mass destruction."

Hadley says diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program will be reviewed in Vienna. Iran is now studying a package of incentives² designed to convince Tehran to suspend uranium processing. The package, which was drafted by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany, was formally presented to Iran by the EU's top foreign policy official, Javier Solana.

"Iran will certainly be a topic with the EU leadership, but I think it will be simply to review the bidding, where we are, and reaffirm what has been very good cooperation and solidarity³ on the international community," he said.

Hadley made clear no major announcements on Iran are expected.

"I think what you will hear is simply an opportunity to assess where we are headed with the EU leadership and a reaffirmation of where we are," he said.

Trade is another issue that will come under scrutiny⁴ in Vienna, particularly the outlook for progress in the current round of world trade negotiations⁵.

Members of the World Trade Organization are struggling to meet a year-end deadline for completion of the so-called Doha round of trade talks. In a recent Washington address, President Bush acknowledged the talks are in trouble, and called on all nations to make concessions⁶.

"Now is the time for the world to come together, and make this world a free trading world, not only for the benefit of our own economies, but as an important part of the strategy to reduce poverty around the world," the president said.

But European trade officials complain the United States is calling on others to take action, but is not willing to make enough concessions of its own, particularly in the area of agricultural trade.

President Bush will be discussing all these matters and more in Vienna with Austrian Chancellor⁷ Wolfgang Schuessel, who holds the revolving⁸ presidency⁹ of the European Union. European Commission President Jose Barroso and other officials will also take part in the summit, part of a regular series of consultations¹⁰ between the United States and the EU leadership.

Mr. Bush will remain in Vienna for less than 24 hours, before heading on to Budapest, Hungary, where he will take part in ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian revolution that was crushed by Soviet¹¹ troops. Aides say the overriding¹² theme of his stay will be the power of democracy.

1 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

2 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

4 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

7 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

8 revolving   

adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
• The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。

9 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。

10 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 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。

12 overriding   

a.最主要的

参考例句：

• Development is of overriding importance. 发展是硬道理
• My overriding concern is to raise the standards of state education. 我最关心的是提高国民教育水平。