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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Nairobi
08 February 2008
A delegation1 from the East African regional bloc2 IGAD has concluded a visit to Kenya to discuss the current political crisis. As Derek Kilner reports from Nairobi, recent days have seen a flurry of diplomatic statements and visits addressing the political deadlock4 and violence that has gripped Kenya since a disputed December election.
The IGAD delegation, which included ministers from Ethiopia, Uganda and Somalia, met with former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan who is leading a mediation5 effort between the government and opposition6, and also met with members of the negotiation7 teams for the two sides.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga's camp objected to a planned meeting of IGAD foreign ministers, saying that President Mwai Kibaki is not the legitimate8 head of state.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin announced the delegation's support for Annan's team, describing the dangers of holding multiple mediation efforts.
"The IGAD region has been at the recipient9 end of such proliferation of initiatives complicating10 already complicated crisis whether it is the Ethiopia - Eritrea border dispute or the crisis Somalia or that of Sudan," said Mr. Mesfin. "So we have pledged to Kofi Annan and his team that the IGAD leaders are fully11 behind their initiative and their efforts."
Western nations, while also expressing support for Annan's mediation, have raised their involvement in the crisis in recent days. U.S. ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger told Kenyan television station KTN that the United States may deny visas to 10 Kenyan politicians and businessmen suspected of fomenting12 violence.
"We've sent letters to about 10 individuals, and these are people on both sides, who we believe are involved in those kinds of activities," explained Amb. Ranneberger. "And we have warned them that their visa status could be affected13."
U.S. officials say the visa status of additional Kenyans is also under review.
Canadian High Commissioner14 to Kenya Ross Hynes told KTN that Canada may also impose travel restrictions15
"The Canadian law precludes16 the admissibility into Canada of people who are found to have been responsible for subverting17 democratic processes and democracy," said Hynes.
British officials say they are considering similar measures.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to urge President George Bush to limit non-humanitarian18 aid to Kenya if the government does not act to reduce violence. The bulk of American aid to Kenya goes to HIV/AIDS programs which would likely not be affected.
And in testimony19 before the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs subcommittee, the top American diplomat3 for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, called for an independent investigation20 into the post-election violence in Kenya.
The European Commissioner for Humanitarian and Development Aid, Louis Michel, was also in Nairobi on Thursday for meetings with the negotiators, calling for compromise between the two sides.
Meanwhile, U.N. Undersecretary for Human Rights Louise Arbour has dispatched a three-week fact finding mission on human rights abuses
1 delegation | |
n.代表团;派遣 | |
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2 bloc | |
n.集团;联盟 | |
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3 diplomat | |
n.外交官,外交家;能交际的人,圆滑的人 | |
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4 deadlock | |
n.僵局,僵持 | |
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5 mediation | |
n.调解 | |
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6 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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7 negotiation | |
n.谈判,协商 | |
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8 legitimate | |
adj.合法的,合理的,合乎逻辑的;v.使合法 | |
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9 recipient | |
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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10 complicating | |
使复杂化( complicate的现在分词 ) | |
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11 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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12 fomenting | |
v.激起,煽动(麻烦等)( foment的现在分词 ) | |
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13 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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14 commissioner | |
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员 | |
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15 restrictions | |
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则) | |
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16 precludes | |
v.阻止( preclude的第三人称单数 );排除;妨碍;使…行不通 | |
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17 subverting | |
v.颠覆,破坏(政治制度、宗教信仰等)( subvert的现在分词 );使(某人)道德败坏或不忠 | |
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18 humanitarian | |
n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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19 testimony | |
n.证词;见证,证明 | |
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20 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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