VOA标准英语10月-Bush to Host Summit on Global Financial Crisis

U.S. President George Bush says he will host a summit of nations soon to address the global economic crisis. Mr. Bush made the announcement as he greeted French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso Saturday at the U.S. presidential retreat Camp David. VOA's Kent Klein reports from Washington.
　

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, looks on as President Bush makes a statement on the world economy at Camp David, Maryland, 18 Oct. 2008

President Bush stood with his two European visitors and said he anticipates hosting a meeting at which world leaders will work to solve the financial problems.

"I look forward to hosting this meeting in the near future," he said. "Both developed and developing nations will be represented. And together we will work to strengthen and modernize¹ our nations' financial systems, so we can help ensure that this crisis does not happen again."

The president was meeting with Mr. Sarkozy and Mr. Barroso at Camp David Saturday to look for solutions to the global financial crisis.

European leaders had been trying to persuade Mr. Bush to hold global talks by the end of the year. Mr. Sarkozy, speaking through a translator, called for a swift international response to the crisis, starting in New York.

"This must be done forthwith, as President Bush has said, possibly even before the end of the month of November," he said. "And we believe that insofar as the crisis began in New York, then the global solution to this crisis must be found in New York, all of us putting our heads together."

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon offered Saturday to host the meeting at U.N. headquarters in New York in early December. Mr. Bush did not announce a time or place for the summit.

Mr. Barroso agreed with the presidents of the two nations that the U.S. and Europe should take the lead in seeking economic solutions, but that other nations should be involved as well.

"Around 77 percent of world wholesale² finance is from the United States and from Europe," he said. "The Europeans and Americans must now join efforts and extend our cooperation to major developing and emerging economies. We must act swiftly to respond to the urgency. But we must also look forward at the medium and long term."

Both European leaders want widespread reforms in the world's financial system, but U.S. officials said they did not expect any breakthroughs on that at Camp David.

Meanwhile, some economists³ say they see signs that the frozen credit markets, which are at the heart of the crisis, are beginning to improve.

1 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

2 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》