VOA标准英语10月-US Embassy in Damascus May Close After Raid

The U.S. embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus may be closed to the public indefinitely, following a raid in eastern Syria that the United States says targeted and killed a top al-Qaida operative and seven other people planning an attack on Iraq. Edward Yeranian reports for VOA from Cairo.
　

Syrian police secure the area as Iraqi refugees demonstrate outside the US embassy in Damascus 29 Oct 2008

The U.S. Embassy in Damascus is warning Americans in Syria to be alert and says it could close to the public after the raid Sunday near the country's border with Iraq.

A statement on the embassy web site says, "The American community in Syria should be aware that unforeseen events or circumstances may occur that could cause the U.S. Embassy in Damascus to close to the public for an unspecified period of time."

Tuesday, the Syrian government reportedly ordered the U.S. Cultural Center and the American Community School to close, but both were open Wednesday.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Andy Halus says activity at U.S. institutions in Damascus is normal.
　

Syrian families accompany their students to their American School, 29 Oct 2008

"I can tell you that we are in the office. I am in the office, today. We are open. It is a normal work day for us. When I walked by the school, this morning, because I live by there, there were students going into it," he said.

Officials at both the Syrian Foreign Ministry¹ and the Ministry of Information declined to comment on the situation.

Spokesman Halus says no definitive² action has apparently³ been taken.

"All of these reports, I believe, are coming out of the stories, yesterday, from the Syrian Arab News Agency that the Council of Ministers has said it will close the American Cultural Center and the American School in Damascus. All I can tell you on that note is very similar to what Deputy Spokesman Robert Woods from the State Department said yesterday, that we have seen the reports, we are aware of the reports," said Halus. "We have not received any official notification from the Syrians about these reports. So, we really cannot speculate on any of our response with the absence of official notification."

The United States has been represented in Syria by a Charge' d'affaires, since Ambassador Margaret Scobie was withdrawn⁴ two years ago.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 definitive   

adj.确切的，权威性的；最后的，决定性的

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so.至于为什么该这样，还没有人给出明确的答复。

3 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

4 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。