VOA标准英语2008年-Trade Talks Collapse Disappoints Africans

African countries say they are deeply disappointed by the collapse¹ of the Doha Development Round. They are calling for an early resumption of the failed talks to address fair trade issues that are critically needed to get Africa out of poverty. Lisa Schlein reports from WTO headquarters in Geneva.

The Doha Development Round collapsed² after nine days of marathon talks. Ministers from 30 countries are divided as to who is to blame for the failure. But, they are united in expressing regret about, what they call, a missed opportunity.

Among them is the bloc³ of African countries. Speaking on behalf of the group, Kenya's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Uhuru Kenyatta, says African countries are disappointed with the outcome of the negotiations⁴.

He notes most of the key issues of interest to the African continent were not even discussed, especially that of cotton. Nevertheless, he says it is important to keep the promise of Doha alive.

"It is not necessary to start apportioning⁵ blame or finger pointing as to who should bear the responsibility of this situation," he said. "The critical issue now before us is to focus on how fast we can move to capture and preserve whatever progress that have been realized in a number of important issues in the negotiations. This should be our starting point when these negotiations resume."

Kenyatta says the Doha Development agenda is directly linked to economic development and poverty alleviation⁶. He urges the members of the World Trade Organization to remain engaged so the round can be concluded without further delay.

"Our position is that Africa critically needs to realize development and get itself out of poverty through the establishment of fair trade rather than aid," he added. "Africa's opportunity to achieve fair trade has therefore been gravely undermined by the lack of progress in these negotiations."

International trade negotiators agree many important concessions⁷ and compromises were made in an effort to achieve a package of trade agreements.

The United States rejected demands by China and India to allow developing countries to protect their farmers from import surges by wealthier countries or from a drop in prices. The two emerging powers insisted that poor countries be allowed to impose higher tariffs⁸ as a safeguard measure.

U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab says a so-called safeguard mechanism⁹ to remedy surges in imported agricultural products already exists. She says these demands were unnecessary and would have led to markets being closed rather than opened.

"The irony¹⁰, of course, is that all of this debate about how easy or how hard it should be to raise barriers to food imports took place in the context of a global food crisis when the last thing we should be talking about and negotiating or even thinking about is raising barriers to trade in food," she said.

Schwab says Washington stands by its offers, including a reduction in U.S. farm subsidies¹¹, and if other countries respond to them in a meaningful way, then a deal eventually could be struck. She says the Doha Development Round is the way forward and it is important to restart the negotiations as soon as possible.

 

1 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

2 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

3 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

4 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。

5 apportioning   

vt.分摊，分配（apportion的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• There is still no law apportioning Iraq's oil resources. 关于一如何分配石油还是没有法律出台。 来自互联网
• The act or a round of apportioning or distributing. 分布或散布或分配的行为。 来自互联网

6 alleviation   

n. 减轻，缓和，解痛物

参考例句：

• These were the circumstances and the hopes which gradually brought alleviation to Sir Thomas's pain. 这些情况及其希望逐渐缓解了托马斯爵士的痛苦。
• The cost reduction achieved in this way will benefit patients and the society in burden alleviation. 集中招标采购降低的采购成本要让利于患者，减轻社会负担。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

7 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

8 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

9 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

10 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

11 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》