VOA标准英语2009-Britain Offers to Hold Summit on Afghanistan

By Jennifer Glasse
London
17 November 2009

 
Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown (file photo)
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday that he would like to host a summit next year to chart a timetable for the handover of security in various regions of Afghanistan to the Afghan government, with an eye toward the withdrawal¹ of NATO forces from country.

In the traditional prime minister's speech at the Lord Mayor's banquet in London, Mr. Brown said he has offered London as a venue² for an international conference next year to map out the international community's next steps in Afghanistan.

"I want that conference to chart a comprehensive political framework within which the military strategy can be accomplished," said Gordon Brown. "A strong political framework should embrace internal political reform and ensure representative government that works for all Afghan citizens at the national level in Kabul and also at the provinces and districts."

The British prime minister said he hopes such a conference would result in concrete actions for handing over security operations in parts of Afghanistan back to the Afghan government.

"It should identify a process for transferring district by district to full Afghan control," he said. "And if at all possible, we should set a timetable for transferring districts to Afghan control starting next year in 2010."

Mr. Brown said British forces are needed in Afghanistan because terrorists there and in neighboring Pakistan would otherwise attack Britain. The British prime minister said he believes that an accountable Afghan government and viable³ army and police force need to be in place before international forces withdraw.

"It is only when the Afghans are able to defend the security of their own people and deny the territory of Afghanistan as a base for terrorists that our strategy of Afghnization will have succeeded and our troops can come home," said Brown.

Mr. Brown's speech came as the bodies of two British servicemen killed in Afghanistan were flown home to Britain and the death of another in Afghanistan was announced.

1 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。

2 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

3 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。