VOA标准英语2008年-Tensions Remain High in Georgia Despite Reporte

Russian and Georgian leaders traded accusations¹ of failing to observe a key part of their cease-fire agreement Tuesday, as foreign ministers from NATO convened² in Brussels to figure out how to respond to the conflict that erupted in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. The two sides did, however, agree to release prisoners in a gesture of goodwill³, but tensions remain high. Emma Stickgold has this report for the VOA in Moscow.
　
A Russian convoy⁴ leaves the military airbase where they are stationed in the village of Senaki, western Georgia, 19 Aug 2008

Reporters in the region watched Tuesday as a line of Russian armored vehicles left Gori to head to Tskhinvali, the South Ossetian capital, and then on to Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia, which lies within Russia's borders.

But a Georgian official dismissed this movement of troops as "a show aimed at creating the illusion of a withdrawal⁵."

Russia's permanent envoy⁶ to NATO told French radio the pullout will take several days.

A top Russian general, who has become the face of the Russian army through his daily news conferences, explains that the pullout will take longer than anticipated because Georgian forces have yet to return to their permanent bases.

He said that such actions "seriously complicate⁷ the general situation and impede⁸ the withdrawal process." Russian forces have come across a lot of abandoned military vehicles and equipment cast aside by Georgian forces, which has slowed the movement of Russian forces down, he said.

Georgia's foreign ministry⁹ said that Russia is "gravely violating" the conditions set forth¹⁰ in the French-brokered peace accord. They cite Senaki, a western Georgian city with a military base, which Russia reoccupied Monday, according to the ministry.

In another development, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Tuesday the sides have agreed to allow 20 military observers into the South Ossetia area.

Earlier, Russia and Georgia exchanged prisoners taken during the last two weeks of conflict. A Georgian government official said the exchange in the village of Igoeti included five Russians and 15 Georgians.

At a meeting Tuesday, NATO foreign ministers have said there will be "no business as usual" with Russia, as they urged Moscow to pull its troops out of Georgia immediately.

The declaration followed emergency talks in Brussels about the conflict with Georgia over its breakaway region of South Ossetia.

The conflict broke out earlier this month when Georgian troops attacked South Ossetia, prompted Russia to unleash¹¹ an attack that dismantled¹² the Georgian army, and spread far beyond the original regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

 

1 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

2 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

3 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

4 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

5 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

6 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

7 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

8 impede   

v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止

参考例句：

• One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。
• The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

11 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

12 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。