2007年VOA标准英语-Two Main Political Parties in N. Ireland Prepar

By Andre de Nesnera
Washington
05 April 2007

Two politicians in Northern Ireland representing the largest Protestant and Catholic parties are preparing to jointly¹ govern the British province after decades of violence and animosity. In this report from Washington, VOA Senior Correspondent André de Nesnera looks at the amazing turn of events.

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Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley, left, and Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams speak to reporters, 26 Mar 2007

First it was the historic meeting in Belfast last week (March 26) between Ian Paisley, leader of the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party and Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army. Both men sat side by side and announced they have agreed to govern the British province beginning May 8.

Then this week, another important milestone³ on the road to peace in Northern Ireland: Paisley traveled to Dublin (April 4) and for the first time ever, in public, shook the hand of Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.

Analysts⁴ say the public handshake was an important symbol, given the fact that Paisley had for decades resisted any role for the Irish government in the affairs of Northern Ireland. In 1985, he accused then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher⁵ of treason after she signed the Anglo-Irish Accord giving Ireland a consultative function in Northern Ireland. He met Ahern for the first time in 1999.

Following this week's meeting, Paisley sounded a conciliatory note.

"Some say hedges make the best neighbors - but that is not the case," he said. "I don't believe we should plant a hedge between our two countries."

Paisley met Ahern for informal talks tied to the upcoming power-sharing agreement with Sinn Fein and other smaller Catholic and Protestant parties. On May 8, the 108-member Northern Ireland Assembly will name a cabinet of 12 ministers to govern Northern Ireland. The first minister will be Ian Paisley - his deputy will be Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, close friend of Gerry Adams.

This will officially bring about what is known as "devolution" - transferring executive power in Northern Ireland from London to local officials in the British province. Northern Ireland has been under direct London rule since 2002 after a previous power-sharing agreement collapsed⁷. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement set up local governing institutions for Northern Ireland.

Analysts say people in Northern Ireland are cautiously optimistic about the success of the power-sharing accord.

Noel Doran is editor of Belfast's Irish News - a newspaper reflecting the views of the predominantly Catholic, nationalist community that favors union with Ireland. He says his readers are not going to get overly excited by one single development.

"We've had the IRA ceasefire of 1994 followed by loyalist ceasefires; we've had negotiations⁸ between republicans and the British governments; we've had the Good Friday Agreement; we've had the introduction of devolution; we've had the collapse⁶ of devolution on a number of occasions and now we see it back again - there is a certain amount of weariness with all the constant upheaval⁹ in political circles," he said.

Those views are echoed across the sectarian divide. Darwin Templeton is editor of the Belfast Newsletter, a daily with close ties to the pro-British, protestant community. He says for some, memories are hard to forget - especially for those who have been victims of the more than three decades of sectarian strife¹⁰ known as "The Troubles."

"We had an interview this morning with a former police officer who had been very badly injured in a terrorist attack during 'The Troubles,'" he said. "And he said that he felt that he had served his country, that he had answered his country's call to arms to defend his country against what he saw as terrorist aggression¹¹. He had been maimed as result of that - and he said that now he simply could not accept that the people, who were at the very least apologists for the terrorists who attacked him, were now preparing for government. He said I'm sorry, I can see all the arguments - but I just can't accept this."

The police officer quoted by Templeton was referring to - among others - Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein. He is believed to have held senior positions in the Irish Republican Army - allegations which he has denied.

More than 3,700 people have been killed in Northern Ireland's sectarian violence. Analysts say with the upcoming power-sharing agreement, Catholic and Protestant politicians will have a chance to shape Northern Ireland's future peacefully, as the threat of violence recedes¹² even more.

1 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

2 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。

3 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 thatcher   

n.茅屋匠

参考例句：

• Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that bore Judge Thatcher. 汤姆 - 索亚和撒切尔法官同乘一条小艇。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. 撒切尔夫人几乎神经失常，还有波莉姨妈也是。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

6 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

7 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

8 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。

9 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

10 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

11 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。

12 recedes   

v.逐渐远离( recede的第三人称单数 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• For this reason the near point gradually recedes as one grows older. 由于这个原因，随着人渐渐变老，近点便逐渐后退。 来自辞典例句
• Silent, mournful, abandoned, broken, Czechoslovakia recedes into the darkness. 缄默的、悲哀的、被抛弃的、支离破碎的捷克斯洛伐克，已在黑暗之中。 来自辞典例句