2007年VOA标准英语-US House of Representatives Leader Visits Leban

By Edward Yeranian
Beirut
02 April 2007

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and German Chancellor¹ Angela Merkel are visiting Lebanon amid intensive diplomatic activity and attempts to resume Arab-Israeli peace talks. Edward Yeranian reports for VOA from Beirut.

 

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, is welcomed by Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora in Beirut, 02 Apr 2007

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her bi-partisan delegation² paid a symbolic³ visit to the tomb of slain⁴ Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al Hariri, before meeting top Lebanese officials.

 

Pelosi defended her visit to Syria, planned for Tuesday, which has come under criticism from the White House. Pelosi said it was quote "important" to hold a dialogue with Damascus and to "discuss its role in supporting Hezbollah and Hamas."

 

"We [will] go there [Syria] and will be talking about the overarching issue, the fight against terrorism and the role that Syria can play to help or to hinder that goal," she said.

 

She made no apologies for the trip, insisting that it was beneficial to the U.S. national interests.

 

"The purpose of the trip is part of our responsibility for the national security of the United States. We are here to see how we can make the world safer and to fight terrorism," said Pelosi.

The U.S. congressional delegation met with both sides in Lebanon's four-month old governmental crisis, including Pro-Syrian Speaker Nabih Berri, as well as the leader of Lebanon's anti-Syrian parliamentary majority Sa'ad Hariri, and Prime Minister Fouad Saniora.

During a visit to Israel during the weekend, Pelosi met with the families of two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah guerillas this past summer. She is expected to raise the issue of the capture soldiers with Lebanese officials.

 

Bit Pelosi and her delegation have no plans to meet with leaders of the pro-Syrian Hezbollah, which is on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations.

 

Beirut's An Nahra newspaper says Pelosi is visiting Beirut in a bid to "counterbalance tomorrow's controversial visit to Syria."

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is the current President of the European Union, also made a whirlwind stop in Beirut, in her words, "to express Europe's support for the government of Prime Minister Saniora."

 

She was given a warm welcome by the prime minister at Beirut Airport, discussing the current political stand-off with Lebanese leaders, before heading off to inspect a German naval⁵ task force that is patrolling Lebanese waters for the UN.

 

Chancellor Merkel told a press conference with Prime Minister Saniora that Germany is also helping⁶ Lebanon to control its borders with Syria, to prevent arms smuggling⁷.

1 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

2 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

3 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

4 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。