voa标准英语2008年-Israelis, Palestinians Reaffirm Peace Commitmen

Key participants of the Middle East Quartet, which is working to find an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have been meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el Sheikh. As Edward Yeranian reports for VOA from Cairo, they have given an account of progress in behind-the-scenes peace talks and discussions.
　

From left, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, 09 Nov 2008

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon says he is using the influence of his office to work for peace and that all the mechanisms¹ are in place, including the Quartet, which is the European Union, the United Nations, Russia, and the United States.

The Secretary General said he is discussing several obstacles facing the peace process at the weekend conference in Sharm el Sheikh.

"The quartet has also made clear it supports more positive strategy for Gaza," Mr. Ban said. "I have been discussing this matter with Israeli government leaders, Prime Minister Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni, on many occasions, and today I am also going to discuss this matter about the closure of crossings and road blocks and also settlement issues and demolition² of houses. All these activities are not desirable for the ongoing³ peace process ... creation of atmosphere conducive⁴ to the ongoing peace process will be extremely important."

The Quartet's Special Envoy⁵, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, underlined that everyone is hoping the new U.S. administration, under Barack Obama, will focus on the peace process from its first day in office, beginning January 20th, 2009.

"The single most important thing is that the new administration in the United States grips this issue from day one and it can do so, knowing that there is a foundation on which we can build," Blair said. "For the first time, we have comprehensive political negotiations⁶, through the Annapolis political process. For the first time, we have a proper plan to build security capability⁷ for the Palestinians, which is necessary to create a Palestinian state."
　

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian FM Sergey Lavrov attend a press conference after the Quartet meetings in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, 09 Nov 2008

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said a peace agreement will not be reached by the end of the year, but said the peace talks, which got underway at the Annapolis Maryland conference in November of last year, will continue and ultimately bear fruit.

"I do think that what we heard today from the parties, which is the most important element of this is that they believe in the Annapolis process, they believe in the integrated nature of this process that builds peace from the bottom up and from the top down," Rice said. "They believe that their negotiations are producing an atmosphere of trust as well as the foundation on which to build."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also expressed hope a new peace conference, to be held next spring in Moscow, will continue the work begun at Annapolis.

"The conference which everybody agreed to have in Moscow some time next spring must certainly be a step forward, and this is why we are taking time to make sure that we prepare for it properly ... talking to the members of the Quartet, to the parties themselves, to the League of Arab States, to all those who participated in Annapolis, because our common desire is to make sure Annapolis process succeeds," Lavrov said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, says the peace talks are in the interests of Israel and the Palestinians.

"So negotiating is not a favor that Israel or the Palestinians is doing to international community, one to the other, but this is according to the interests of each people," Livni said.

Meanwhile, al Jazzera TV reports Syrian President Bashar al Assad is accusing Israel about "not being serious about peace," despite indirect talks between Israel and Syria, last held in September under Turkish mediation⁸.

The Arab press is critical of the Palestinians for their internal conflict, with the daily Asharqalawsat running a cartoon showing negotiators from the Fatah and Hamas factions⁹ heading into a narrow alley¹⁰ which culminates¹¹ in a dead end.

1 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 demolition   

n.破坏,毁坏,毁坏之遗迹

参考例句：

• The church has been threatened with demolition for years. 这座教堂多年来一直面临拆毀的威胁。
• The project required the total demolition of the old bridge. 该项目要求将老桥完全拆毁。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 conducive   

adj.有益的，有助的

参考例句：

• This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
• Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 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。

7 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

8 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。

9 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

10 alley   

n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路

参考例句：

• We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。
• The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。

11 culminates   

v.达到极点( culminate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Each civilization is born, it culminates, and it decay. 各种文明都要历经诞生，鼎盛和衰落。 来自《用法词典》
• The tower culminates in a 40-foot spire. 这塔的顶端是一个40英尺高的塔尖。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》