2007年VOA标准英语-Rice Seeks 'Common Agenda' for Settling Israel-

By David Gollust
Jerusalem
25 March 2007

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in separate talks Sunday as she continued a quest for what she termed a "common agenda" to move forward on a two-state solution of the Middle East conflict. She'll complete her fourth mission to the region in as many months on Monday with a meeting in Amman with Jordan's King Abdullah and follow-up talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. VOA's David Gollust is traveling with Rice and has this report from Jerusalem.

 

joint2 press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, not seen, in West Bank town of Ramallah, 25 Mar1 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070529/0855030.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Condoleezza Rice speaks during a joint press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, not seen, in West Bank town of Ramallah, 25 Mar 2007

Rice's mission follows creation of a new Palestinian unity³ government and precedes a critical Arab League summit later this week in Riyahd.

She is pushing not only to revive a negotiating process between Israel and the Palestinians but to create a parallel peace channel between Israel and the Arab states based on their 2002 Beirut peace initiative.

That plan offered Israel normal relations with all 23 Arab League member countries for returning to 1967 borders and reaching a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians, including settlement of the refugee issue.

Rice has repeatedly said on this trip she does not want to try to tell the Arab League what to do. But in a talk with reporters late Sunday before a dinner meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, she said it is a time for the Arab states to back up their expressed desire for a solution of the conflict with action.

"I've had very good discussions with the Arab leaders and I have a sense they understand and want to exercise their responsibilities for moving forward for peace," she said. "And I don't know how they will express it. But this is a time when it seems to me that there is a great desire to try and promote and a great desire to try and create the conditions for peace."

Rice said she hopes to find a "common agenda" between Israel and the Palestinians despite continuing problems, including the new unity government's refusal to accept international terms for peacemaking including a renunciation of violence and recognition of Israel.

She said with support from President Bush, she is prepared to continue investing time and effort to the task, while mindful that early breakthroughs are unlikely.

"My approach has been, I admit, careful. It's been step-by-step," she said. "I've not been willing to try for the 'big bang.' I don't think that that's where we are. I think that there are a lot of moving pieces here. I think the Palestinian unity government was a new factor as of a month ago. So to take the time to talk to the parties on the basis of the same questions and the same issues, I think is well-worth the time."

Rice began a long day of diplomacy⁴ with talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Nile River city of Aswan, before flying on to Tel Aviv from where she motorcaded to the West Bank town of Ramallah to meet Mr. Abbas.

The Palestinian president, who is due to attend the Arab League summit in Riyadh Wednesday, said he agreed the organization's 2002 peace plan needs to be reactivated. But, he resisted the idea it should be amended⁶ to deal with Israeli concerns.

"The Arab initiative, when it was launched was highly welcomed in the different Arab and international circles, and also in the Israeli circles," he said. "This initiative has become an important part of the 'road map' plan adopted by the Quartet. The road map has become a resolution of the [U.N.] Security Council with the number 1515. I didn't hear anybody saying that you need to amend⁵ or change or alter any of the articles of the Arab initiative."

Israeli officials say language in the Arab League plan providing for the return of refugees would threaten Israel's existence as a Jewish state unless it was amended to say that refugees should resettle only in the envisaged⁷ Palestinian state.

Earlier at a joint press appearance with Rice in Aswan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Ghiet said any talk of the Arab League amending⁸ the initiative was "illogical" unless and until it became a subject of actual negotiations⁹ with Israel.

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 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

5 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

6 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

7 envisaged   

想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
• Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。

8 amending   

改良，修改，修订( amend的现在分词 )； 改良，修改，修订( amend的第三人称单数 )( amends的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Amending acts in 1933,1934, and 1935 attempted to help honest debtors rehabilitate themselves. 一九三三年，一九三四年和一九三五年通过的修正案是为了帮助诚实的债务人恢复自己的地位。
• Two ways were used about the error-amending of contour curve. 采用两种方法对凸轮轮廓曲线进行了修正。

9 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。