VOA标准英语2008年-NATO Calls for Return to Former Status Quo in G

As Russia announced a halt to military action in Georgia, NATO members called for a return to the status quo before the conflict - and say the crisis will not hurt Georgia's chances of joining the alliance. Lisa Bryant has more from Paris.
　
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop¹ Scheffer addresses the media at NATO headquarters in Brussels, 12 Aug 2008

Following a meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels, the alliance's secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, told reporters both sides needed the return to positions they held before August 6, when fighting broke out in the separatist region of South Ossetia and spread to other parts of Georgia.

The ambassadors have also called for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial² integrity to be respected.

"A ceasefire was clearly not considered enough," said de Hoop Scheffer. "It is important that all parties go back to what is called the status-quo ante - that is, the status quo as existed on the 6th of August."

The NATO secretary general joined other international calls for both sides not to interfere³ with humanitarian⁴ assistance being sent to the region.

"There is an urgent need for the very serious humanitarian situation," he said. "And that goes for both sides. And it is absolutely necessary, and there is a very great urgency, there is full access for humanitarian organizations and others to the displaced persons, to the victims, to the wounded."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered a halt to military action, although Georgia says Russian forces continued bombing in some areas on Tuesday. France holds the rotating European Union presidency⁵ and its president, Nicolas Sarkozy, was in Moscow Tuesday trying to find a solution to the crisis.

Georgia's membership bid to NATO was rejected in April, but with the provision it could likely join at a future date. Georgia's NATO ambassador told reporters in Brussels he believed that message of delay was taken by Russia as a "green light" to attack.

Some observers believe the fighting may have hurt Georgia's NATO dreams, since its membership could draw the alliance into future conflicts in the region. But De Hoop Scheffer said Georgia's chances of joining NATO remain unchanged.

 

1 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。

2 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

3 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

4 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。