VOA标准英语2009年-Pakistan Defends US Aid Package

By Sean Maroney
Islamabad
16 October 2009

The Pakistani government is defending the $7.5 billion U.S. aid package, saying Washington has addressed Islamabad's concerns over some of the controversial clauses. Late Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.

The U.S. Congress earlier this month unanimously approved the $7.5 billion aid package to help Pakistan improve health, education and security in the wake of rising militancy¹ in the country.

But the legislation has come under strong criticism from opposition² parties and the country's powerful military.

The opponents say some of the clauses undermine Pakistan's sovereignty.

Last week in a high-level meeting of its leadership, the Pakistani military objected to clauses that implied they supported militant³ groups.

 
Pakistani FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi, 12 Oct 2009
The relentless⁴ criticism forced the government to send Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to Washington this week to convey the concerns to the sponsors of the multi-billion-dollar aid package.

Shortly after returning to Islamabad, Qureshi informed the Parliament Friday about his discussions with the U.S. lawmakers.

"I minced⁵ no words," he said. "I highlighted each and every concern that was raised. Mr. Speaker, when I said what I had to say as a custodian⁶ of this Parliament as a person representing the sentiment of the people of Pakistan, and he replied to me, 'Foreign Minister, we hear you loud and clear.' Loud and clear was what Senator [John] Kerry and the other senators told me."

U.S. lawmakers said the language of the aid package could not be changed. But U.S. Senator John Kerry and Representative Howard Berman on Wednesday gave Qureshi a document stating that the package does not impose any conditions on Pakistan or infringe⁷ on its sovereignty.

The United States considers Pakistan a vital ally in the global fight against terrorism. U.S. officials maintain the aid package is meant to strengthen the bilateral⁸ relations and help Pakistan fight its growing insurgency⁹ led by Taliban militants¹⁰.

The militants are using their bases in Pakistan's remote tribal¹¹ regions bordering Afghanistan for launching attacks against government and security targets across the country.

The latest attack occurred Friday as Parliament was in session for the aid package debate.

Police in the northwestern city of Peshawar say a suicide car bomber¹² rammed¹³ into a building where suspects are held and interrogated¹⁴. At least a dozen people have been killed.

The violence also comes a day after a series of high-profile suicide bombings and militant assaults on opposite sides of the country killed at least 39 people.

U.S. Senator John Kerry, one of the authors of the aid package, is expected to arrive in Pakistan early next week to reassure¹⁵ Pakistani leaders that the United States does not intend to undermine their country's sovereignty.

1 militancy   

n.warlike behavior or tendency

参考例句：

• Full of militancy and revolutionary ardour, the people of all nationalities in the country are working hard for the realization of the four modernizations. 全国各族人民意气风发， 斗志昂扬，为实现四个现代化而奋战。
• The seniority system is another factor that leads to union militancy. 排资论辈制度也是导致工会好斗争的另一因素。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

5 minced   

v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉）

参考例句：

• He minced over to serve us. 他迈着碎步过来招待我们。
• A young fop minced up to George and introduced himself. 一个花花公子扭扭捏捏地走到乔治面前并作了自我介绍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 custodian   

n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守

参考例句：

• Benitez believes his custodian is among the top five in world football.贝尼特斯坚信他的门将是当今足坛最出色的五人之一。
• When his father died his uncle became his legal custodian.他父亲死后，他叔叔成了他的法定监护人。

7 infringe   

v.违反，触犯，侵害

参考例句：

• The jury ruled that he had infringed no rules.陪审团裁决他没有违反任何规定。
• He occasionally infringe the law by parking near a junction.他因偶尔将车停放在交叉口附近而违反规定。

8 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

11 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

12 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

13 rammed   

v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来，出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
• I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 interrogated   

v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• He was interrogated by the police for over 12 hours. 他被警察审问了12个多小时。
• Two suspects are now being interrogated in connection with the killing. 与杀人案有关的两名嫌疑犯正在接受审讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。