VOA标准英语2008年-US Calls for Reversal of Mauritania Coup

The United States Wednesday vigorously condemned² the military overthrow³ of the Mauritanian government and called for the restoration of democratic rule. The coup⁴ could lead to sanctions by the United States and European Union. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　
Mauritanian President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi (file photo)

Mauritanian President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi had taken office last year as the country's first freely-elected leader. His apparent overthrow and detention⁵ by the country's military has drawn⁶ a strong condemnation⁷ from the Bush administration.

At a news briefing, State Department Acting⁸ Spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said democratic rule in Mauritania should be restored without delay.

"We condemn¹ in the strongest possible terms, the Mauritanian military's overthrow of the democratically-elected government of Mauritania," said Gonzalo Gallegos. "We oppose any attempts by military elements to change governments through extra-constitutional means. We call on the military to release the president, and the prime minister and to restore the legitimate⁹, constitutional, democratically-elected government immediately."
　
Mauritanian President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi (l) shakes hands with General Ould Abdel Aziz in Nouakchott (file photo)

The Mauritanian coup has also been condemned by, among others, the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union.

Gallegos said the United States has been in contact with the AU and individual countries in the region to try to increase political pressure for a reversal of the coup.

In Brussels, European Union Development Commissioner¹⁰ Louis Michel said the elected Mauritanian leaders should quickly be released and returned to their posts, and warned that some $240 million in EU aid to Mauritania could be at risk if they are not.

A U.S. law, approved by Congress in 2006, requires the administration to halt non-humanitarian aid to any country in which a democratic government is ousted¹¹ by the military.

Spokesman Gallegos said U.S. officials are discussing the applicability of the law to the situation in Mauritania but provided no details.

The United States has been providing about ten million dollars in annual aid to Mauritania in recent years, most of it in the form of food, economic assistance and a Peace Corps¹² presence, though there is a small military training program.

Spokesman Gallegos said all private U.S. citizens in Mauritania are accounted for and that that U.S. embassy in Nouakchott, which remains¹³ open, has advised them to remain at home for the time being.

 

1 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

2 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

4 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

5 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

8 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

9 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

10 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

11 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

12 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

13 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。