voa标准英语2008年-UN Security Council Weighs Troop Request for Co

The U.N. Security Council is continuing to weigh whether to authorize¹ a request from the secretary-general for an additional 3,000 peacekeepers to reinforce the U.N.'s overstretched peacekeeping mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. From United Nation's headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.
　

A Congolese government soldier forces people out of a minibus at a front line checkpoint near Kibati just north of Goma in eastern Congo, 10 Nov 2008

The U.N. head of peacekeeping, Alain Le Roy, who has just returned from a mission to the Kivu provinces in the heart of eastern Congo's conflict zone, briefed council members behind closed doors Tuesday afternoon.

Afterwards he told reporters he hopes the 15-member council will act by the end of the month and grant the United Nation's request for reinforcements to its peacekeeping mission.

"Although we have almost 10,000 troops in the Kivus, it is still insufficient," said Alain Le Roy. "Ten thousand troops in the Kivus - the population of the Kivus is 10 million inhabitants. So it means we will have in fact, 10 peacekeepers for 10,000 civilians² to protect in the Kivus."

He said the mission, which at 17,000 troops is the United Nations largest anywhere, has reconfigured its personnel to concentrate them in the most violent areas. He said now 95 percent of troops are in the east.

Le Roy said the mood in the council was supportive of strengthening the force. But some council members expressed reluctance³.

British Ambassador John Sawers said the council will need to be clear that the existing forces are being put to the best possible use before sending in additional troops. Citing conflicts in Somalia, Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic, he said the council faces many demands for peacekeeping.

"There is not a bottomless pit of peacekeepers, so we do need to make absolutely sure we are making the best possible use of the troops that already exist in the largest peacekeeping force in the world," said John Sawers.
　

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon(l) addresses participants at an emergency summit in Nairobi, 7 Nov. 2008

Congo's Ambassador (Atoki Ileka), said his country needs both troops and equipment. He said the U.N. peacekeeping force lacks both intelligence capabilities⁴ and firepower.

Earlier Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he hopes the council will act quickly in authorizing⁵ the additional troops for the overstretched peacekeeping mission.

"We remain caught in a very volatile⁶ and dangerous moment for the DRC and for the region," he said.

He said fighting between the rebels and government forces has cut off aid to at least 100,000 displaced people, and that their situation has grown "increasingly desperate." He called for an immediate⁷ ceasefire to allow aid to get through.

1 authorize   

v.授权，委任；批准，认可

参考例句：

• He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
• Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

4 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

6 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。