2007年VOA标准英语-Blair Holds Talks with Iraqi President in Londo

By Tom Rivers
London
11 May 2007

A day after Tony Blair told Britain that he would be stepping down from office in June 27, the prime minister met Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in London. For VOA, Tom Rivers has details.

Tony Blair meets with Iraq's President Jalal Talabini at 10 Downing Street, London, 11 May 2007

The most important factor that will define the legacy¹ of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's decade-long premiership will be Iraq.

Repeated polls show that the majority here believes it was wrong for Britain to get involved.

On Thursday, Blair acknowledged he may have gotten some things wrong while in office, but he added it would be for others to decide.

The prime minister was asked at a joint² news conference Friday if he had any regrets about the issue.

"People can debate over the years what may have happened differently but you know, you only have to talk to someone like President Talabani to realize what Iraq was like under Saddam and his sons and realize how important it is that it is able to have a different future," said Blair.

"And if these terrorists try to stop them having that future, our job is to be with him and to fight the terrorism," he continued.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani thanked Blair for the British involvement in his country and he blamed the media for dwelling³ on negative images of his country that he says has swayed public opinion in Britain.

"It is something normal that when British boys and girls are killed in Iraq that we are very sorry for this that also people here who feel that what Iraqi[s] are doing they need to show them some tangible⁴ achievements, which we are now doing," he said.

"I hope within coming weeks and month we are able to show the public opinion of Great Britain that our and you were on the right direction and we are now getting the right results of what you have done," he added.

The Talabani visit has come at the end of another week of deadly attacks in Iraq, including a bombing in Irbil, the normally peaceful capital of the country's self-governing Kurdish region.

Critics says attacks like that only serve as a reminder⁵ that no corner of Iraq is immune from the bloodshed.

1 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

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 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

4 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

5 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。