VOA标准英语2008年-Iraqi Minister Hails Economic Progress

By Michael Bowman
Washington
07 May 2008

Iraq's minister of industry says his country is making real economic strides in the post-Saddam era, but any rapid pullout of U.S. troops would put that progress at risk. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Washington, where the minister spoke¹ Wednesday.

Industry and Minerals Minister Fawzi Hariri says rebuilding and expanding Iraq's economy amid civil strife² in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion has been, as he put it, "challenging." Among his goals is to transform industrial output from outdated³, state-owned operations to modernized⁴ production that responds to the free market.

"The vision that we have is to open up the state-owned enterprises for the private sector⁵, and develop a partnership⁶ or joint⁷ venture. And that will be a first in the history of Iraq," he said.

Hariri, who spoke to reporters at Washington's National Press Club, says domestic and foreign investment is flowing into Iraq, and the country's private sector is expanding. He also says that Iraq is beginning to make the political progress necessary to solidify⁸ and sustain economic progress.

But he says the security situation remains⁹ fragile, and Iraq will continue to need the backing of U.S. military forces if it is to prosper¹⁰.

"Clearly, Iraq as it stands and its military capacity is unable to sustain any foreign intervention¹¹ on its own," he added.  "And therefore, we believe we need to have the U.S. forces still present in Iraq. The removal of forces, especially in a fast or quick way, will not only put Iraq in danger, it will put the whole regional stability in danger."

Both major Democratic presidential candidates have pledged to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq, arguing that the indefinite presence of American soldiers has made it easier for Iraq's leaders to put off painful decisions necessary for national reconciliation¹². President Bush and the presumed Republican presidential nominee¹³, Senator John McCain, have pledged to retain U.S. forces in Iraq until lasting¹⁴ democracy is secured.

Recent weeks have seen media reports of vast oil profits in Iraq, leading some U.S. politicians to question why the United States is spending billions of dollars to rebuild the country. Minister Hariri said it is only in the last year that Iraq's national finances have improved, and that Iraq is doing all it can to invest in reconstruction¹⁵ projects. He added that Iraq is willing to repay foreign governments that take part in efforts to rebuild his country.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

3 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

4 modernized   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的过去式和过去分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• By 1985 the entire railway network will have been modernized. 等到1985年整个铁路网就实现现代化了。
• He set about rebuilding France, and made it into a brilliant-looking modernized imperialism. 他试图重建法国，使它成为一项表面华丽的现代化帝业。

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 solidify   

v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)团结

参考例句：

• Opinion on this question began to solidify.对这个问题的意见开始具体化了。
• Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷冻会结冰。

9 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。

10 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

11 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

12 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。

13 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

14 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

15 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。