VOA标准英语2008年-Syria Halts Contacts With France on Lebanon

By Challiss McDonough
Cairo
02 January 2008

Syria says it is breaking off contacts with France on the political crisis in Lebanon, responding to a similar gesture by Paris.  VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough has more from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said Syria is ending contacts with France on the political standoff in Lebanon.

The decision follows a similar move by France.  On Sunday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told reporters in Cairo he is  suspending contact with Syria until he sees proof that Damascus is working for a solution to Lebanon's political crisis.

Syria's foreign minister said the West is sending mixed messages to Syria when it calls for no foreign interference in Lebanon.

Moallem says, on the other hand, Syria is being called on to use its its influence in Lebanon.  He calls this a "confusing situation" and says Syria will not interfere¹ in Lebanese affairs.

He accused Paris of blaming Syria for France's own failure to break the deadlock² that has prevented the country's rival political blocs⁴ from reaching an agreement on a new president. 

Moallem said Syria has been offered a number of incentives⁵ to exert pressure on the Lebanese opposition⁶, including an economic deal with the European Union and a visit from the French president.  He said Damascus has rejected what he called these "temptations," saying Syria is more interested in Lebanon's stability than in pursuing its own interests.

At a news conference in Cairo on Sunday, French President Sarkozy accused Syria of failing to follow up its words with action when it talks about ending the crisis in Lebanon.

President Bush has also accused Syria of interfering⁷ to block the election of a new Lebanese president. 

Lebanon has been without a head of state since November 23.  The two main political factions⁸ have agreed in principle on a successor, army chief Michel Suleiman, but the parliamentary vote to elect him has been repeatedly postponed⁹ as the two sides wrangle¹⁰ over the balance of power in the next cabinet.

Each side blames the other for the standoff.  The majority bloc³ in parliament, known as the March 14 movement, is backed by Europe, the United States and many Arab states, including Saudi Arabia.  The opposition, led by Hezbollah, gets support from Syria and Iran.

France has been especially active in pressing for a solution, and the French foreign minister has been personally involved in the negotiations¹¹.  But France's allies in the March 14 coalition¹² have complained that Paris's pressure on them to accept a deal has undermined their strength in the talks. 

1 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

2 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

3 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

4 blocs   

n.集团，联盟( bloc的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The division of Europe into warring blocs produces ever-increasing centrifugal stress. 把欧洲分为作战集团产生了越来越大的离心效果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policy of the two blocs was played out. 把世界分为两个集团的政策已经过时了。 来自辞典例句

5 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 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。

7 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

8 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

9 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

10 wrangle   

vi.争吵

参考例句：

• I don't want to get into a wrangle with the committee.我不想同委员会发生争执。
• The two countries fell out in a bitter wrangle over imports.这两个国家在有关进口问题的激烈争吵中闹翻了。

11 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。

12 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。