VOA标准英语10月-Egyptian and Israeli Presidents Meet to Discuss P

Israeli President Shimon Peres told his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, during a brief meeting Thursday in the Sinai resort town of Sharm el Sheikh, that Israel was prepared to accept the 2002 Arab peace plan as the basis of a global peace agreement for the region. Edward Yeranian reports for VOA from Cairo.

The meeting between the Israeli and Egyptian presidents carries a symbolic¹ and a tactical message, while giving the impetus² of good will to a peace process which has been in the doldrums in recent months.

By endorsing³ the 2002 Arab peace plan, first proposed at a Beirut summit, Shimon Peres is signaling to moderate Arab states, especially Egypt and Saudi Arabia, that no sincere efforts to reach an accord will be rebuffed.

The effort comes on the heels of recent indirect talks between Israel and Syria, using Turkish mediation⁴, which came to an abrupt⁵ halt in September, after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was forced to submit his resignation.
　

Israeli President Shimon Peres (L) and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak at a joint6 press conference after their meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, 23 Oct., 2008

Shimon Peres also expressed his thanks to President Mubarak for his efforts to gain the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, captured by the Palestinian militants⁷ in Gaza in June of 2006:

He said President Mubarak has promised to redouble efforts to release Shalit and he said that would effect not only one family but the entire people of the region.

President Mubarak, in return, re-iterated, forcefully, the basic terms of the peace proposal, that all Arab governments would recognize Israel, in return for the withdrawal⁸ by the Jewish State from all Arab lands captured in the 1967 War.

He said all Arab states will establish normal relations with Israel if a final peace agreement is reached. He also said the details of the Arab plan are not open to discussion.

Israeli Defense⁹ Minister Ehud Barak was the first to endorse¹⁰ the 2002 Arab peace proposal, earlier this week, calling it the "basis for a discussion on an overall regional peace."

Israeli leaders, including outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, have long expressed reservations over the exact details of the Arab peace proposal.

1 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

2 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。

3 endorsing   

v.赞同( endorse的现在分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• Yet Communist leaders are also publicly endorsing religion in an unprecedented way. 不过，共产党领导层对宗教信仰的公开认可也是以前不曾有过的。 来自互联网
• Connecticut Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman is endorsing Republican Senator John McCain. 康涅狄格州独立派参议员约瑟夫。列波曼将会票选共和议员约翰。麦凯恩。 来自互联网

4 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

5 abrupt   

adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的

参考例句：

• The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
• His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

6 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。

7 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

8 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。

9 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

10 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。