2007年VOA标准英语-Bush Arrives in Sydney for APEC Summit

By Paula Wolfson
Sydney
04 September 2007

President Bush has arrived in Australia to attend the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. VOA White House correspondent Paula Wolfson reports from Sydney that Mr. Bush will also hold a series of one-on-one meetings, starting with a session with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

President Bush, third from right, is greeted by U.S. Ambassador to Australia Robert McCalluf and others upon his arrival at the Sydney airport, 04 Sep 2007

The meeting with the Australian leader is likely to focus on Iraq.

John Howard has been a key U.S. ally throughout the conflict. But public sentiment in Australia has turned against the war. Opposition¹ leader Kevin Rudd has called for the withdrawal² of all Australian troops from Iraq, and he is currently leading in the polls with parliamentary elections just a few months away.

During a surprise stop in Iraq while en route to Australia, President Bush defended his war policy and focused on the positive. He went to al-Anbar province where security conditions have improved, largely because Sunni leaders there are cooperating with U.S. forces against a common enemy - al-Qaida.

"The strategy we put in place earlier this year was designed to help the Iraqis improve their security so that political and economic progress could follow," he said. "And that is exactly the effect it is having in places like Anbar."

tribal3 leaders during visit to Anbar province" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070907/1056331.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

President Bush (center) meets Iraqi tribal leaders during visit to Anbar province

The president said he wanted to get a first-hand look at conditions in Anbar, and meet with top U.S. officials in Iraq as well as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and members of his government.

In brief remarks to a small group of reporters who traveled with him to Iraq, the president said some U.S. troops could be sent home if security conditions across Iraq continue to improve. And he urged Congress to listen closely next week when the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, and the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus, testify on Capitol Hill.

"I urge members of both parties in Congress to listen to what they have to say," said President Bush. "They shouldn't jump to conclusions until the general and the ambassador report."

In addition to Iraq, issues expected to come up in the president's bilateral⁴ meetings in Sydney include Iran, North Korea, Darfur, and repression⁵ of pro-democracy activists⁶ in Burma.

Following the session with Prime Minister Howard, Mr. Bush will meet individually on the sidelines of the summit with the leaders of China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia.

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 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

3 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。

4 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

5 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》