VOA标准英语2009年-US Still Skeptical About UN Racism Conference

State Department officials say they are still skeptical¹ about whether a U.N.-sponsored conference against racism² set for April in Geneva can be a constructive³ exercise. The United States walked out of the initial conference on the subject in South Africa in 2001 because of attacks on Israel, but it joined in preparatory talks for the Geneva meeting.

Officials say the U.S. team sent to the preparatory meeting in Geneva got a sympathetic hearing from many of the delegations⁵ there.

But they say the draft declaration still contains objectionable segments on Israel and other subjects, and U.S. participation⁶ in the full conference remains⁷ in doubt.

The Obama administration broke with its predecessor⁸ and sent a delegation⁴ to this week's preparatory meeting, even though the Bush administration had initially⁹ decided¹⁰ not to attend and had opposed the April conference altogether.

The Geneva conference is a follow-up to the 2001 World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance held in Durban South Africa.

The United States joined Israel in walking out of that meeting because of document language about Israel and Zionism that U.S. officials considered anti-Semitic.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent a delegation to the Geneva preparatory talks that included U.S. diplomats¹¹ and human rights activists¹², including a senior official of the Jewish Anti-Defamation¹³ League.

At a news briefing Friday, State Department Deputy Spokesman Gordon Duguid said the U.S. team went into the Geneva discussions with "grave concerns" about the so-called Durban process, and the lengthy¹⁵ draft declaration now under debate. He said the Americans got a good hearing but he was non-committal about whether the United States will attend the full conference:

"There were many things we disagreed with in the document. The document began as a very lengthy piece of work and got longer during the conference itself. The intention was to engage, and to try to make something that was flawed, better. We did not predict success, and I can't do that for you now. But we are on the record with our international partners as to where we stand on these issues," he said.

Duguid said an administration decision on whether to continue in the process will await a meeting at which the U.S. delegates will brief Secretary Clinton, and make a recommendation.

The issue of U.S. participation is controversial, with several U.S. Jewish organizations calling for a boycott¹⁶ and advocacy groups like Human Rights Watch saying the United States should attend the April conference, if for no other reason than to block consensus¹⁷ on an objectionable final declaration.

A senior official who spoke¹⁴ to reporters at the State Department said U.S. delegates voiced objections to several elements in the draft declaration concerning Israel, but also others including language backed by Muslim countries against defamation of religion that is widely seen as curbing¹⁸ free expression.

The official said he did not think the United States is "warming up" to the Durban process based on this week's discussions, saying U.S participants went in skeptical and came out still believing that the problems are difficult

1 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

2 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

3 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

6 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

9 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 defamation   

n.诽谤；中伤

参考例句：

• Character defamation can be either oral or written.人格诽谤既可以是口头的也可以是书面的。
• The company sued for defamation.这个公司因受到诽谤而提起诉讼。

14 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

15 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

16 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

17 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

18 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。