2007年VOA标准英语-Key Trading Nations Agree to Resume Talks

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
27 January 2007

Trade ministers cautiously agreed Saturday to resume world trade negotiations¹ that have been stalled for months. Reporting for VOA from Paris, Lisa Bryant has more on an issue that dominated the last day of the annual World Economic Forum² meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Ministers from some 30 countries offered few details about how they plan to unblock the so-called Doha Round of world trade talks, which have been frozen since last summer.

But a short statement issued by the Swiss Economics Ministry³, which organized the informal ministerial meeting Saturday, said the group wanted a quick resumption of 'full-scale activity' in the trade talks.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, an annual meeting gathering⁴ some of the globe's most powerful politicians and business leaders at the Swiss resort of Davos. During a special panel on the stalled talks, World Trade Organization (WTO) chief Pascal Lamy sounded cautiously optimistic.

"I remain of the view that it is doable," he said.  "What we got this morning is the message that the momentum⁵ was there, that we are switching, or that we have to be prepared to switch from this flying mode above the landing zone, which we have been doing for some time, to the sort of switching to the approach mode."

Even if political will to resume trade negotiations is there, and many leaders say it is, major sticking points remain. Key among them are disagreements between the EU, the U.S. and developing nations over slashing⁶ agricultural tariffs⁷, which developing nations say put their farmers at a disadvantage and protect farmers in wealthier nations.

Elections in France later this year may also break the momentum to strike a deal. Meanwhile, special congressional 'fast-track' authority in the U.S. to approve a trade deal expires at the end of June.

 
British Prime Minister Tony Blair makes an address to the World Economic Forum
Still, a number of leaders remain optimistic, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Speaking at Davos Friday, Blair said a new trade deal could particularly benefit developing countries.

"There is really no substantive⁸ reason why we can't get a deal done, that this would be enormous in development terms," said Mr. Blair.  "An aid-for trade package would be enormously beneficial for countries in Africa, and, actually, for the rest of the world."

Lamy of the WTO has not said when he will officially announce the official restarting of trade negotiations. But, he acknowledged, the window of opportunity is a narrow one.

1 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。

2 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

6 slashing   

adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
• He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手，不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句

7 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

8 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。