2007年VOA标准英语-Former Pakistani Leader Bhutto Vows Return From

By Tom Rivers
London
01 September 2007

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto says that despite stalled power-sharing talks, she will be heading back to her country soon. She made the announcement Saturday in London. For VOA, Tom Rivers has details.

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Benazir Bhutto, chairperson of the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and former prime minister of Pakistan, 20 July 2007

Following a meeting in London of colleagues from her Pakistan People's Party, former Prime Minister Bhutto says she will be returning from exile soon to run in parliamentary elections in the coming months.    

"The Pakistan People's Party has decided² to form a committee, and we will be holding press conferences in every provincial³ capital of Pakistan on September 14, and we will be giving the date of my arrival, the venue⁴ of my arrival, and I will be going back to Pakistan very soon," she said.

Her planned return will come despite a failure to strike a power-sharing deal with a group representing Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf.

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Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf delivers a speech at a joint peace meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, 12 Aug 2007

Ms. Bhutto says envoys⁶ from both sides could not reach an agreement and that representatives from the president's delegation⁷ have returned to Pakistan for consultations⁸.

"We have been engaged in contacts with the present regime for the restoration of democracy so that there can be a viable⁹ political system," she added.  "We understand that there is severe reaction within the present ruling party to any understanding with the Pakistan People's Party, and due to that reaction, no understanding has been arrived at, and we are making our own plans to return to the country."

Ms. Bhutto blames hardliners in Mr. Musharraf's ruling party for trying to scuttle¹⁰ the talks, but she says it is still possible to find common ground.  She has said the president must agree to step down as military chief.

President Musharraf is seeking re-election from the current parliament. He hopes to secure a five-year term, but Pakistan's Supreme¹¹ Court has agreed to hear a challenge to the legality of his re-election by the country's existing legislature.

Parliamentary elections are due in early January. Ms. Bhutto says the country needs a new course and she says she can deliver change.

"I feel that Pakistan can turn the corner if it returns to its roots of moderation, of democracy and of insuring governmental authority through the length and breadth of the country," she said.

In addition to Ms. Bhutto, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, overthrown¹² by Mr. Musharraf in 1999, also plans to return.  He says he will return home September 10 to challenge President Musharraf's re-election bid.

Mr. Sharif was exiled in 2000 and could face arrest when he returns.

Ms. Bhutto meanwhile has been charged with corruption¹³, and there is a possibility she could be detained upon arrival.

Public support for President Musharraf has plummeted¹⁴ as insurgent¹⁵ violence has mounted in the tribal¹⁶ areas near Afghanistan and after the government battled Islamic extremists at a mosque¹⁷ in Islamabad. 

The embattled president has been seeking Ms. Bhutto's support.

1 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。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

4 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

5 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。

6 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

7 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。

8 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

10 scuttle   

v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗

参考例句：

• There was a general scuttle for shelter when the rain began to fall heavily.下大雨了，人们都飞跑着寻找躲雨的地方。
• The scuttle was open,and the good daylight shone in.明朗的亮光从敞开的小窗中照了进来。

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 overthrown   

adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词

参考例句：

• The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

13 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

14 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

16 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

17 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。