VOA标准英语2009年-Deposed Madagascar President says He Will

By Peter Heinlein
Addis Ababa
08 November 2009
 
 
Former Madagascan Pres. Marc Ravalomanana (L) walks into a meeting in Addis Ababa for talks with Madagascar's main political parties, 04 Nov 2009
Madagascar's former president Marc Ravalomanana, who was ousted¹ in a coup² earlier this year, is promising³ to cooperate in a transitional government with the young leader who replaced him. Madagascar's political chiefs reached a power sharing deal minutes before a deadline that would have cost the country nearly a billion dollars in aid money.

Former Madagascar president Marc Ravalomanana was in a conciliatory mood Saturday.

Hours earlier, the 59-year-old self-made millionaire had backed away from earlier statements, and agreed to accept his bitter rival, 35-year old Andry Rajoelina as president of a transitional government. Mr. Rajoelina, a former disc jockey, led the military-backed movement that forced Mr. Ravalomanana to resign last March.

Sitting with a few reporters in an empty conference room at African Union headquarters, he compared Mr. Rajoelina to his own son, who is about the same age.

"Like the young people, this is a challenge to do in his life," he said. "That is why he removed me from this position. So let us see it. I am sure I will help him. Do not worry about it. I have a son like him. So I can do something. I can help him."

 
Madagascar's disputed leader Andry Rajoelina talks to the media after meeting with AU mediators in Addis Ababa, 06 Nov 2009
A few hours earlier, Mr. Rajoelina had emerged from a meeting of the chiefs of Madagascar's four main political movements to announce that he would lead the transitional administration that will organize fresh elections next year.

He says the chiefs of the four political movements have agreed that the president of the transitional government is Andry Rajoelina. He explained that instead of a single president, there will be a three-person council consisting of a president and two co-presidents, one of whom will be a top aide to Mr. Ravalomanana.

The power-sharing deal was agreed over four days of sometimes heated talks at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Witnesses say at one point early Friday, chief mediator⁴ at the talks, former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano ordered Mr. Rajoelina to sit down and be quiet when he threatened to walk out.

A deal was reached late Friday, hours before the end of a four-month period during which the European Union assessed progress toward the return of constitutional order. The agreement means Madagascar's cash-poor government will receive 630 million Euros, or 930 million dollars in aid that had been blocked after the March coup.

Mr. Ravalomanana said the prospect⁵ of losing that badly needed cash had been a strong motivator in reaching what he called a miracle deal.

"Now I got this letter from the European Union. We have this 630 million euro so this is great," he said. "This is why I said to them ... we have to reach this agreement, they did not believe it. Yesterday you knew the situation here, but right now it is good. It is like a miracle."

African Union Peace and Security Commissioner⁶ Ramtane Lamamra says the deal reached in Addis Ababa will not be enough to remove A.U. sanctions imposed on Madagascar because of the coup. Lamamra said the international recognition would likely be withheld⁷ until a new government is elected and constitutional order is restored.

Under the current constitution, the 35-year old Mr. Rajoelina is too young to run for president. But in his conciliatory mood Saturday, Mr. Ravalomanana suggested he would not object to a constitutional change that would allow his arch-rival to seek the presidency⁸.

Mr. Ravalomanana said it is too early to say whether he might return to politics. He left office after months of violent protests by opponents who charged he had abused the presidency in promoting his business interests. He denies the charges, but left the country and currently lives in exile in South Africa. 

1 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。

2 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。

3 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

5 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

6 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。

7 withheld   

withhold过去式及过去分词

参考例句：

• I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。