2007年VOA标准英语-Iran TV Shows British Sailors as Britain Freeze

By Sonja Pace
London
28 March 2007

Iran has shown television footage of some of the 15 British sailors detained by Iranian forces last Friday and hints they could be released soon. Earlier in the day, Britain announced it is freezing all bilateral¹ business with Iran except efforts to gain the release of the naval² personnel. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London.

 
Image reported to be of British sailor Faye Turney shown on Iranian TV
Pictures on Iranian television show the British sailors eating a meal. They also show an interview with the only woman in the group, Faye Turney, who is wearing a head scarf and smoking a cigarette. She is quoted talking about their arrest.

"I was arrested Friday, the 23rd of March," she said. "Obviously, we trespassed³ into their waters. They were very friendly, very hospitable⁴ … they explained to us why we'd been arrested, there was no aggression⁵, no hurt, no harm."

 
Iranian TV image reportedly showing captured British sailors

The pictures seem to show that the group was safe and well. However, in London the Foreign Office called the video "completely unacceptable."

The television footage came amid stepped-up efforts by Britain to pressure Iran to release the naval crew.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told the House of Commons Wednesday the government would focus all its bilateral efforts with Iran on gaining the release of the British sailors. "We will therefore be imposing⁶ a freeze on all other official bilateral business with Iran until this situation is resolved," she said.

Earlier in the day, Vice⁷ Admiral Charles Style presented maps and GPS coordinates⁸ of the British patrol boats as well as the merchant vessel⁹ the British personnel had just finished searching when they were seized by Iranian Revolutionary Guards. He said the coordinates could leave no doubt.

"The position places her 1.7 nautical¹⁰ miles inside Iraqi territorial¹¹ waters," he said.

Iran insists the patrol boats were in Iranian waters.

Speaking in parliament Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair said there was no justification¹² for the detention¹³ of the British sailors.

"It was completely unacceptable, wrong and illegal. We had hoped to see their immediate¹⁴ release. This has not happened. It is now time to ratchet up the diplomatic and international pressure in order to make sure the Iranian government understands their total isolation¹⁵ on this issue," he said.

Speaking on the sidelines of an Arab summit in Saudi Arabia, Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, said the issue can be resolved, and he said Faye Turney, in particular would be released soon.

"The subject is under consideration and I think it will be solved based on rules and regulations. But, … the lady will be released soon," he said.

The Iranians have said the British naval personnel are being treated well.

1 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

2 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

3 trespassed   

（trespass的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Here is the ringleader of the gang that trespassed on your grounds. 这就是侵犯你土地的那伙人的头子。
• He trespassed against the traffic regulations. 他违反了交通规则。

4 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

5 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

6 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 coordinates   

n.相配之衣物；坐标( coordinate的名词复数 )；（颜色协调的）配套服装；[复数]女套服；同等重要的人（或物）v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

10 nautical   

adj.海上的，航海的，船员的

参考例句：

• A nautical mile is 1,852 meters.一海里等于1852米。
• It is 206 nautical miles from our present location.距离我们现在的位置有206海里。

11 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

12 justification   

n.正当的理由；辩解的理由

参考例句：

• There's no justification for dividing the company into smaller units. 没有理由把公司划分成小单位。
• In the young there is a justification for this feeling. 在年轻人中有这种感觉是有理由的。

13 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

14 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

15 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。