VOA常速英语2007年-NATO to Stay in Kosovo

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
07 December 2007

The NATO military alliance says it will remain in Kosovo even if leaders of the Serbian province fail to reach an agreement with Serbia. Friday's announcement at a NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels comes just days before a December 10 deadline for an end to internationally backed negotiations¹ on the future status of Kosovo. Stefan Bos reports for VOA from Budapest.

NATO spokesman James Appathurai told reporters that NATO ministers have agreed to keep their KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo at its current strength of just over 16,000 troops.

Appathurai also made clear that NATO will have more soldiers on standby, amid concerns that plans by ethnic² Albanian leaders to declare the province independent from Serbia will spark new unrest in the Balkans.

"Allies agree that U.N. Security Council resolution 1244 provides a platform for the continuing presence of NATO forces in Kosovo," said Appathurai. "Second that they commit to maintain the force levels of KFOR at the levels that we have them or to adjust them as necessary. That includes, if necessary, reinforcements."

Friday's agreement on the peacekeepers' future role in Kosovo came after NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop³ Scheffer said it was important to ensure security for all ethnic groups in the troubled province.

"NATO's continued commitment to the security and stability of the region remains⁴ crucial," he said. "And we will act resolutely⁵ against anyone who seeks to resort to violence. Regardless of the outcome of the status process, Kosovo will remain and has to remain a place where Kosovar Albanians, Serbs and others must be able live in peace together free from fear and intimidation⁶."

 

The peacekeepers have been in Kosovo since 1999 when NATO forced Serb troops to end a brutal⁷ crackdown on the independence seeking ethnic Albanian majority of the province.

International mediators are expected to report to the United Nations on Monday that efforts to reach a compromise between Kosovo's government and Belgrade have failed.

Russia wants further mediation⁸ between Serbia, which opposes independence, and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership.

However, Western governments involved in the negotiations say the time has come to settle Kosovo's status.

Analysts⁹ expect the United States and most European Union countries to recognize an independent Kosovo. However, Western officials have expressed hopes that Kosovo's leaders will wait with a declaration of independence till late January, to give NATO and the European Union more time to prepare for it.

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 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

6 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

7 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

8 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。