2007年VOA标准英语-Regional Summit With Focus on Zimbabwe Begins i

By Peta Thornycroft
Southern Africa
16 August 2007

The 14-nation Southern African Development Community, SADC, has begun a crucial summit in Lusaka, Zambia, with the crisis in Zimbabwe at the top of the agenda. Peta Thornycroft reports for VOA that the two leaders attracting the most attention at the summit are Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe and South African leader Thabo Mbeki, who is the SADC-appointed mediator¹ on Zimbabwe.

Leaders of SADC countries pose for a group photo after the opening of the summit, 16 Aug 2007

Zimbabwe's veteran leader, Robert Mugabe, was given a rousing welcome from delegates and members of the public at the opening of the summit in Lusaka Thursday.

SADC leaders are gathered for a regular summit, but it has a central focus, the ever-deepening political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe. The country has the highest inflation rate in the world, and 80 percent of its people live below the poverty line.

In March, at a special SADC summit on Zimbabwe, President Mbeki was appointed to mediate² between President Mugabe's ruling party, ZANU-PF, and the opposition³ Movement for Democratic Change. After some urging, Mr. Mbeki's team finally managed to persuade ZANU-PF to join the process, and two substantial sessions were held between the two parties in Pretoria.

Although no details of the dialogue have been made public, well-placed political sources say that the two parties have been engaged in detailed⁴ negotiations⁵ over a new constitution ahead of next year's national elections.

President Mugabe has said Zimbabwe does not need a new constitution.

In addition ZANU-PF and the MDC negotiators had several sessions in Harare last month where a new constitution was the main point of debate.

After the opening ceremony Thursday, President Mbeki presented an oral report on Zimbabwe behind closed doors. He was expected to talk about progress and difficulties in the dialogue so far and the road still to be traveled before next year's election.

South Africa has made it clear that the next national elections in Zimbabwe should be free and fair leading to undisputed results.

President Robert Mugabe has said he would stand for ZANU-PF in the presidential election next March, when he will be 84.

The summit ends Friday.

1 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

2 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

5 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。