voa标准英语2008年-Rice: Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process Has Not

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the Israeli Palestinian peace process remains¹ vibrant², even though both sides say they will likely miss their target of signing a peace deal by the end of the year. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Jerusalem, where Secretary Rice is on her eighth and possibly final visit as secretary of state.
　

U.S. Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice is presented with a gift by Palestinian Pres. Mahmoud Abbas, 7 Nov. 2008

Secretary Rice traveled to the West Bank town of Ramallah, where she met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Her trip is part of the Bush administration's final efforts to keep the U.S. peace process on track during the transition of power in Washington.

The talks have made little tangible³ progress. Israeli, Palestinian, and U.S. officials have acknowledged that they will probably not meet their goal of reaching a deal by the end of 2008.

However, Secretary Rice said she believes the process has not failed and she says the distance to peace has been narrowed. Rice told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas the talks launched at the U.S. city of Annapolis a year ago have laid the foundations of a Palestinian state.

"President Bush's vision of an independent state of Palestine at peace with Israel, while it will not come in a single, dramatic moment, it will come, because the commitment of the Palestinian and the Israeli people to their peace will not waiver, and if there is methodical and sustained and sincere initiative to include an agreement, I know that you will," she said.

The talks remain stuck on key issues of the status of Jerusalem, refugees, and Jewish settlements. Rice on Friday repeated the Bush administration's calls for Israel to stop expanding settlements in the Palestinian territories, something she said is damaging the peace process.

The Palestinian leader thanked the Bush administration for brokering⁴ the round of talks.

He says he hopes the incoming Obama administration will begin immediately dealing⁵ with the Middle East issue, and take up matters from where they were left with the Bush administration, so that no time is wasted.

The change of U.S. administration and political turmoil⁶ in Israel mean it may be a few months before the process can move. Politics within the Palestinian authority are another complication. President Abbas' term technically⁷ ends in January and his Fatah faction⁸ remains locked in a struggle with the militant⁹ Hamas group that controls Gaza.

The issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions came up Friday during Rice's talks with Israeli officials in Jerusalem. Defense¹⁰ Minister Ehud Barak told the top U.S. diplomat¹¹ that Israel is prepared to strike at Iran if it does not stop its nuclear activities.

He said Israel is convinced that Iran is continuing to develop nuclear weapons. He said Israel believes Iran is deceiving the world through negotiations¹² on supervision¹³. The defense minister said Israel is not taking any option off the table and urges others not to take any option off the table. And, he said, Israel means what it says.

Condoleezza Rice will be in the region until Sunday, also traveling to Jordan and Egypt for further consultations¹⁴ on the status of the peace talks - which in just over two months will be an issue for the new White House team to tackle.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

3 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

4 brokering   

v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的现在分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• Intertwined with these were rivalry, power brokering, and patronage. 然而也不乏有抗争、强权操纵与任命特权交织其中。 来自互联网
• Kingston Quest Can Assist Your Company In Negotiations, Brokering, Agency Services, Sourcing Factories Or Property. 金士顿追求，可帮助您的公司在谈判中，经纪，代理服务，货源工厂或财产。 来自互联网

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

7 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

8 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

9 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

10 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。

11 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

12 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。

13 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

14 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》