VOA标准英语2008年-Bush to Meet Israel's Olmert on Wednesday

By Paula Wolfson
White House
02 June 2008

President Bush will meet Wednesday at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports, they will review progress in the Middle East peace process.

This will be their second round of talks in less than one month, following Mr. Bush's trip to Israel in May for ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the nation's founding.
　

Dana Perino

Presidential spokeswoman Dana Perino says the informal discussions at the White House will focus on the peace process.

She says the administration is doing all it can to get a Palestinian state defined before the end of the year, noting the president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are keeping in close touch with all the parties involved.

"We continue to be engaged to try to help them, but we are not going to be able to solve the problem for them," said Dana Perino. "They are going to have to continue to work together."

She says the process is long and difficult, but stresses the two sides are not giving up.

"And we know that their governments are talking to one another - the Palestinians and the Israelis," she said. "But there is a lot of tension, a lot of historical complexities¹ that enter into this. But I believe that the president will see from Prime Minister Olmert that they continue to negotiate in good faith. And this president is going to push them, because the Israelis and the Palestinians both have to live up to their 'roadmap' obligations, if we are going to reach the goal of defining a state by the end of the year."

Perino says the Israelis have security concerns and the Palestinians are worried about announcements of new settlement activity.

Israel said Sunday that it plans to build almost 900 new housing units in disputed East Jerusalem, a move that prompted sharp criticism from the Palestinian leadership.
　

Mahmoud Abbas (l) and Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, 02 Jun 2008

Just prior to his departure for Washington Prime Minister Olmert discussed housing and other issues in Jerusalem with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

President Abbas told reporters it will be difficult to reach a peace agreement if the building does not stop.

At the White House, Dana Perino agreed that settlement activity is a big problem.

"Our position on the settlements is that we don't believe that any more settlements should be built, and we know that that exacerbates² the tension when it comes to the negotiations³ with the Palestinians," said Dana Perino.

During a session with reporters, Perino was also asked about the Israeli leader's political troubles and the impact that could have on the peace process.

"As far as I know the Israelis and the Palestinians have continued to have talks in good faith while all this discussion in the press has gone on in Israel," she said.

Prime Minister Olmert is at the center of an evolving corruption⁴ investigation⁵ involving alleged⁶ cash payments from an American Jewish businessman.

Perino refuses to say if it would be discussed during the prime minister's private talks with President Bush. But she also notes that Mr. Bush has long said the Israeli and Palestinian people have set a goal, and the peace process is bigger than just one person.

1 complexities   

复杂性(complexity的名词复数)； 复杂的事物

参考例句：

• The complexities of life bothered him. 生活的复杂使他困惑。
• The complexities of life bothered me. 生活的杂乱事儿使我心烦。

2 exacerbates   

n.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的名词复数 )v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Stripping the land in these ways allows faster surface runoff and exacerbates flooding. 这些做法终将使土地裸露、地表径流加快，从而加重了洪水的威胁。 来自辞典例句
• This policy exacerbates the gap between rich and poor. 这项政策加剧了贫富差距。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为