2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Makes Little Headway in Meeting With Calde

By Greg Flakus
Merida, Mexico
14 March 2007

President Bush wrapped up his trip to Latin America in Merida, Mexico Wednesday, where he and his host, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, went before reporters. VOA's Greg Flakus was there and has this report.

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Presidents George Bush (l) and Felipe Calderon at their joint news conference in Merida, 14 Mar1 2007

The two presidents acknowledged that their meeting here had not produced any major accords, but they both agreed to keep working on issues of mutual³ concern, such as immigration reform, the fight against drugs and further liberalization of trade.

President Bush noted⁴ that achieving immigration reform in the United States has not been easy because lawmakers want U.S. immigration laws enforced effectively. He said he believes recent efforts by his administration have achieved better enforcement and that he now sees an opportunity to move Congress to act on immigration reform.

"I am optimistic because Republicans in the senate are working with Democrats⁶ in the senate," said President Bush. "We are facilitating that work. The administration is very much involved in helping⁷ senators find common ground to the point where we can move a bill as quickly as possible."

But critics of the president's reform effort are mobilizing to stop what they see as an amnesty for people who entered the country illegally. The Minuteman organization, which has placed volunteers on the border to help detect illegal entries, issued a statement calling the bill proposed in the senate by Democrat⁵ Senator Edward Kennedy and Republican Senator John McCain a lure⁸ to Hispanic votes which "casts aside the security concerns of law-abiding Americans."

That view is likely to be voiced by several Republican members of the House of Representatives who have worked in the past to block any reform package that included a guest worker program. President Bush, however, can count on support from most Democrats. Democrats gained control of both houses of Congress in last year's midterm election.

At the news conference, a U.S. reporter asked President Calderon about the legal status of some of his own relatives living and working in the United States.

He said he does have relatives in the United States and that they are people who work hard and respect the nation where they live. He said they are among the people who harvest crops, clean dishes in restaurants and in other ways contribute to the U.S. economy. He added, however, that his goal is to improve the economy of Mexico so that Mexican workers will not have to leave the country to find better-paying jobs.

The two presidents also discussed ways of improving the joint fight against drug smuggling⁹ and organized crime.

President Bush acknowledged the law enforcement campaign launched by President Calderon against drug traffickers and other criminals shortly after he took office in December. He also said the United States has a duty to reduce demand for illicit¹⁰ narcotics¹¹.

"I made it very clear to the president that I recognize the United States has a responsibility in the fight against drugs and one major responsibility to encourage people to use less drugs," he said. "When there is demand, there is supply."

President Calderon hailed the cooperation between the two countries on this issue and expressed the view that the 3,000-kilometer U.S.-Mexico border should provide benefits to both nations.

He said the border should be a place where the two nations come closer, not more distant and that the border should unite the people of the two countries, not divide them.

This was the second meeting between President Bush and his Mexican counterpart since Mr. Calderon assumed office December 1, but their first meeting in Mexico.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 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。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

9 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

10 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

11 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》