2007年VOA标准英语-ASEAN Ponders New Charter

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Manila
02 August 2007

Foreign Ministers from the ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners pose for an official group photo in Manila, 02 Aug 2007

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have completed a draft of a charter for the organization that will radically¹ alter the way its decisions are reached. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports from Manila, where the ASEAN officials met with their counterparts from 17 nations, including the United States and the European Union.

The charter is designed to define ASEAN more clearly, and to provide it with the legal framework it has lacked since its formation in 1967.

A major innovation is that the group's decisions would no longer need to be unanimous.

The draft has not yet been made public, and probably will not be until a final document is signed at the ASEAN meeting in November. Exactly how decisions will now be made has not been revealed.

But Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo told reporters ASEAN's government leaders have approved the new system.

"Where as before it used to be all by consensus³, which means unanimous, now we have introduced a provision, and it has been accepted to the leaders: we do not impose any requirement of consensus or unanimity⁴. It is up to the leaders," said Mr. Romulo.

The charter also stipulates⁵ the establishment of a regional human rights body. This provision was agreed upon with difficulty this week, only after the foreign ministers were able to obtain the grudging⁶ agreement of Burma.

Many countries, including its fellow ASEAN members, have criticized Burma's poor human rights record.

Once the new system is in place, it would presumably become easier to overcome the objections of a single member nation like Burma.

Nuclear security figured prominently in the forum⁷ that brought officials of the 10 ASEAN nations and 17 others together.

Earlier in the week, the ASEAN ministers welcomed advances in six-nation talks aimed at convincing North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programs. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said he hopes those talks will continue to progress.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, 01 Aug 2007

"We look forward to the work that is going to be done in the six-party format² during the next several weeks, and are hopeful of continued progress towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which is obviously a very, very important element of establishing long-term and enduring peace in this part of the world," said Negroponte.

The ASEAN ministers also agreed to create their own regional nuclear watchdog body, to ensure nuclear reactors⁸ in the area are not used to produce nuclear weapons.

Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo says these discussions bring nations closer and advance the cause of peace in Southeast Asia.

"We have reached a certain stage now where we are breaking through to a new level, in our internal construction, in our relations with all our partners, in our dedication⁹ to the construction of a regional architecture, which will maximize our chances for peace and development," said Mr. Yeo.

As the conference closed, ASEAN named former Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan as the organization's new secretary-general.

1 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

2 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

3 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

4 unanimity   

n.全体一致，一致同意

参考例句：

• These discussions have led to a remarkable unanimity.这些讨论导致引人注目的一致意见。
• There is no unanimity of opinion as to the best one.没有一个公认的最好意见。

5 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

6 grudging   

adj.勉强的，吝啬的

参考例句：

• He felt a grudging respect for her talents as an organizer.他勉强地对她的组织才能表示尊重。
• After a pause he added"sir."in a dilatory,grudging way.停了一会他才慢吞吞地、勉勉强强地加了一声“先生”。

7 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

8 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

9 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。