VOA常速英语2008年-Iraqi Presidential Council Approves Provincial

By Daniel Schearf
Irbil
21 March 2008

Iraq's presidential council has approved a law outlining provincial¹ powers. The law paves the way for elections scheduled in October that officials are hoping will help reduce sectarian tensions. Daniel Schearf reports for VOA from the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

The Iraqi presidential council announced the agreement late Wednesday, saying the provincial powers law would come into effect in a few days time.

The law outlines the relationship between Iraq's central and local governments and is expected to correct distortions of power in the country ahead of October elections.

It is one of a series of laws pushed by the United States that are aimed at promoting trust between Iraq's rival political factions².

The U.S. embassy in Baghdad welcomed the approval. Embassy spokeswoman, Mirembe Nantongo, says is shows Iraqi leaders are determined³ to move the political process forward.

"We congratulate all those who have worked so hard to maintain progress on this and other important political issues facing Iraq," she said. "We consider this a significant step forward and welcome it."

Washington has pressed the Iraqi government to pass a series of laws seen as benchmarks for national reconciliation⁴.

This year the presidential council approved two of them-a federal budget and an amnesty law. But in February they rejected the provincial powers law and sent it back to parliament for re-drafting after one of Iraq's vice⁵ presidents argued it was unconstitutional.

The council reversed its decision after it was agreed that even after approval the law would be further discussed in parliament and could be amended⁶ later.

A long-delayed law on sharing oil revenues has yet to be passed.

The provincial powers law is the first step for provincial elections in October. The government still has to choose election commissioners⁷ and approve an election law.

This year's elections are seen as key to improving trust between Iraq's religious and ethnic⁸ groups that are fighting for influence in the country.

Most Sunnis and some Shiite groups boycotted⁹ the last elections in 2005, and as a result many local leaders are not supported by their populations.

1 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

2 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

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

7 commissioners   

n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官

参考例句：

• The Commissioners of Inland Revenue control British national taxes. 国家税收委员管理英国全国的税收。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The SEC has five commissioners who are appointed by the president. 证券交易委员会有５名委员，是由总统任命的。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

8 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

9 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。