2006年VOA标准英语-Somali Peace Talks Resume After Two-Month Delay

By Noel King
Khartoum
02 September 2006

Peace talks between leaders of Somalia's interim¹ government and the Islamist group that controls the capital, have resumed in Sudan. Both sides expressed a desire to put an end to violence that has divided the nation.

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Speaker of Somali parliament Sharif Hassan(L) and deputy prime minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail sit at talks in Khartoum, Sudan 
  
The Arab League is hosting the talks in the Sudanese capital. The two sides last met in late June, when they signed a mutual² recognition pact³.

The leader of the Somali government delegation⁴, parliament speaker Sharif Hassan, said he hoped for a resolution following the current round of talks.

"Our aim to come here and be an effective partner in this second round of the meeting regarding Somalia is to make further progress on the basis of the agreements signed here on the 22nd of June," he said.  "We are brothers.  We can achieve a lot.  And we want to focus entirely⁵ on the ways and means to take Somalia out of its current debacle."

The leader of the Islamist delegation, Ibrahim Hassan Adou, warned that the presence of foreign troops in Somalia could re-ignite civil war, referring to the alleged⁶ presence of Ethiopian troops to support the interim government.

"We would like to reaffirm our commitment to peace and good neighborhood," he said.  "We are not a threat to any of our neighbors, despite some accusations⁷ to the contrary by some of these neighbors trying to find pretexts⁸ to destabilize Somalia. Foreign interference and the presence of foreign forces in Somali soil, some of which are already there, is a recipe for another civil war, instead of the pursuit for reconciliation⁹ and reconstruction¹⁰." 

Islamic militiamen in Mogadishu   
  
Ethiopia has professed¹¹ its support of the internationally-backed interim Somali government, but denies sending troops to Somalia.

Somali government leaders have accused Eritrea of sending arms to back the Islamists.

Observers have cautioned that long-running tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea might escalate¹² into a full-blown war, with Somalia as a battleground.

The largely ineffectual Somali interim government came to power in 2004, after 13 years of anarchy¹³ that began when warlords toppled Dictator Mohammed Siad Barre.

The talks in Khartoum are to continue through the coming week.

1 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

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 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

6 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

7 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

8 pretexts   

n.借口，托辞( pretext的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• On various pretexts they all moved off. 他们以各种各样的借口纷纷离开了。 来自辞典例句
• Pretexts and appearances no longer deceive us. 那些托辞与假象再也不会欺骗我们了。 来自辞典例句

9 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

10 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

11 professed   

公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的

参考例句：

• These, at least, were their professed reasons for pulling out of the deal. 至少这些是他们自称退出这宗交易的理由。
• Her manner professed a gaiety that she did not feel. 她的神态显出一种她并未实际感受到的快乐。

12 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

13 anarchy   

n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。
• The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。