VOA标准英语2009-Zimbabwe Parties Resume Talks

Talks to resolve issues that threaten the unity¹ of Zimbabwe's shaky inclusive government got under way on Monday.

Ish Mafundikwa | Harare 24 November 2009

Talks to resolve issues that threaten the unity of Zimbabwe's shaky inclusive government got under way on Monday.

The talks started after the deadline set by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for the parties that make up the unity government to fully² implement³ the so-called Global Political Agreement, or GPA, the deal that brought about the national unity government.

On November 5 a SADC summit in Maputo gave the feuding⁴ parties 15 days to implement the outstanding issues. If this did not happen, SADC would send South Africa's President Jacob Zuma to break the logjam. Analyst⁵ Tony Hawkins of the University of Zimbabwe noted⁶ that there is nothing much SADC can do besides persuade the parties to agree.

"SADC never said what would happen if they didn't agree it seems to me unlikely that SDAC can do very much," he said.

The summit was a result of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change partial withdrawal⁷ from the government last month. He blamed President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party for non-fulfillment of the GPA. But for one reason or another, the parties failed to talk during the SADC stipulated⁸ period. This led to recriminations about who was holding up the talks.

University of Zimbabwe's Hawkins dismissed claims that the MDC's disengagement and delay in the talks would be detrimental⁹ to Zimbabwe's economic recovery and keep potential investors¹⁰ away.

"My feeling has always been that there was exaggerated expectations on behalf of the people about what they expected would be achieved economically particularly during a time of recession," he said. "The failure of the talks will slow things down but I don't really see any lasting¹¹ impact. If people are serious about wanting to invest here they are gonna come and do it."

Hawkins described the unity government as feuding parties rather than a government. He added that until there are elections in Zimbabwe there won't be any consistency¹² in policy and the parties will keep on disagreeing.

1 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

4 feuding   

vi.长期不和（feud的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Riccardo and Cafiero had been feuding so openly that the whole town knew about it. 里卡多和卡菲埃罗一直公开地闹别扭，全城的人都知道此事。 来自辞典例句
• The two families have been feuding with each other for many generations. 这两个家族有好多代的世仇了。 来自互联网

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 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。

8 stipulated   

vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的

参考例句：

• A delivery date is stipulated in the contract. 合同中规定了交货日期。
• Yes, I think that's what we stipulated. 对呀，我想那是我们所订定的。 来自辞典例句

9 detrimental   

adj.损害的，造成伤害的

参考例句：

• We know that heat treatment is detrimental to milk.我们知道加热对牛奶是不利的。
• He wouldn't accept that smoking was detrimental to health.他不相信吸烟有害健康。

10 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

11 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

12 consistency   

n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度

参考例句：

• Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。
• We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。