2007年VOA标准英语-US Urges Support for UN Kosovo Plan

By David Gollust
State Department
02 February 2007

The United States Friday called the newly released Kosovo settlement plan of U.N. envoy¹ Martti Ahtisaari fair and balanced, and urged authorities in both Serbia and Kosovo to work toward a final settlement. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is consulting European colleagues on the next steps in the process. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

 
Martti Ahtisaari participates in debate on Kosovo at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, 24 Jan 2007
The United States has strongly supported the Ahtisaari mission and a written statement here expressed gratitude² for his efforts and urged all those involved, including the skeptical³ Serbian government, to engage constructively⁴ with the U.N. envoy as he tries to finalize⁵ a settlement.

The statement by State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the Ahtisaari plan is fair and balanced and is a blueprint⁶ for a stable, prosperous and multi-ethnic⁷ Kosovo.

It said provisions of the plan protecting the rights of all of Kosovo's citizens will advance democratic development, and said the United States encourages Ahtisaari to complete his work soon so that Kosovo, and the region, can finally have clarity about the future.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed the issue at a private meeting late Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose government has said it shares Serbia's misgivings⁸ about a potentially-independent Kosovo.

Rice also discussed the issue Friday morning with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who like Lavrov was in Washington for a meeting of the international quartet on the Middle East.

 
Sean McCormack
Spokesman McCormack told reporters the United States is ready to assist the final push for a Kosovo solution with a diplomatic team led by U.S. special envoy for Kosovo Frank Wisner, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Dan Fried, Undersecretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, and when necessary Secretary Rice herself:

"We're there," he said. "We're part of the [Kosovo] Contact Group. That will remain. Ambassador Wisner and Dan Fried will be the working-level people involved in this."

"Nick [Burns] takes a great interest in this as well. And when she's needed, the Secretary will get involved in it, to push the issue forward. Nobody expects that this is going to be a smooth pathway. So when you need a closer, she'll be there," he added.

McCormack said the issue of Kosovo's ultimate status needs to be addressed by the U.N. Security Council, since Kosovo has been a U.N. protectorate for the last several years.

The United States has not publicly endorsed⁹ any final status formula for Kosovo, but Serbian officials have frequently asserted that Washington supports independence and have said they look to their ally Moscow to block such a development.

U.N. authorities have administered Kosovo since 1999, when NATO air strikes drove Serbian and Yugoslav security forces from the province following a deadly Belgrade crackdown on ethnic Albanians, who account for 90 percent of Kosovo's population of two million.

The Ahtisaari plan would give the province many of the trappings of a separate state including the right to join international organizations, but does not mention independence from Serbia.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

3 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

4 constructively   

ad.有益的，积极的

参考例句：

• Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom. 如此富有意义地利用业余时间来进行收藏，会使人怡然自得，无暇烦恼。
• The HKSAR will continue to participate constructively in these activities. 香港会继续积极参与这些活动。

5 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

6 blueprint   

n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划

参考例句：

• All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
• The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。

7 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。

8 misgivings   

n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧

参考例句：

• I had grave misgivings about making the trip. 对于这次旅行我有过极大的顾虑。
• Don't be overtaken by misgivings and fear. Just go full stream ahead! 不要瞻前顾后， 畏首畏尾。甩开膀子干吧！ 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》