VOA常速英语2007年-Senior US Diplomat Brushes Aside Differences Wi

By Phil Mercer
Sydney
06 December 2007

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns has predicted that the close alliance between Washington and Australia will continue under the new Rudd government despite differences over Iraq and climate change. Burns is in Canberra for talks with the new leadership. Australia's decision to withdraw troops from Iraq has been a major point of discussion. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.

A few days after being sworn into office Australia's new government has held high-level talks with one of Washington's most senior diplomats¹.

U.S. Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, has met Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, Defense² Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and the Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Canberra's plan to withdraw its combat forces from Iraq by the middle of next year has dominated discussions.

Burns said Washington respected Australia's decision and hoped it would still be able to help the United States rebuild Iraq's economy and political institutions.

Australia's ratification³ this week of the Kyoto Protocol⁴ on climate change has further isolated⁵ the U.S., which refuses to sign the agreement.

Despite differences over Iraq and the environment, Burns says he expects the "excellent relationship" that exists between Australia and the United States to continue.

"I think there's so much that unites our two countries," he said. "The discussions I've had have been very positive across the board in both directions and I've conveyed a great deal of interest from Washington in getting to know the new leadership. I expect us to have excellent relations. And I also expect, as with any two democratic allies, there'll be issues on which we disagree and that's the way life goes and the way democratic governments interact with each other."

Burns has also discussed Washington's recent diplomatic efforts to achieve a new United Nations Security Council resolution against Iran.

The U.S. is hoping Australia will boost its military commitment to Afghanistan after its Iraq pullout.

The Rudd government has expressed its support for the campaign against militants⁶ in Afghanistan.

Both Prime Minister Rudd and foreign minister Smith plan to visit the United States next year.

Mr. Rudd has insisted that close relations with the Americans remain central to Australia's foreign policy.

1 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。

4 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。