VOA标准英语 US, Pakistani Officials Highlight Need for Trust in

U.S. envoy¹ Richard Holbrooke and Pakistani Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi say they are focusing on building up trust and putting together a plan for taking on the al Qaida and Taliban militants³ that threaten both nations. Officials in Islamabad also discussed American drone strikes that remain unpopular in Pakistan.
　
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, left, greets to U.S. Joint⁴ Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, center, and U.S. envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke prior to their talks in Islamabad, 7 April 2009

The Obama administration's new regional policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan is aimed at coordinating⁵ military strategies and civilian⁶ development, to counter militants threatening both nations.

U.S. special representative Richard Holbrooke and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen are visiting both countries, this week, for the first time since the new plan was announced.

During a news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan's foreign minister praised President Barack Obama's vocal⁷ support for the Pakistani people and the country's democratic government and pledge for new funds for economic assistance. But Mahmood Qureshi also says that crucial policy disagreements remain with the United States - especially when it comes to American drone strikes in Pakistan's Taliban-dominated tribal⁸ region.

"We did talk about drones and let me be very frank: There's a gap," Qureshi said. "There's a gap between us and them. And, I want to bridge that gap and we'll continue to talk about it when we meet in Washington."

The covert⁹ drone strikes against militant² targets are rarely acknowledged by American officials. Pakistani officials call them counterproductive, particularly when they kill civilians¹⁰. But some analysts¹¹ believe the strikes to be secretly condoned¹² by Pakistani military and civilian leaders, in part because they target militants opposed to the Pakistani government.

The Pakistani foreign minister also discussed one of what he calls the so-called "red lines" of the Pakistani government, which he said the U.S. administration has recognized.

"No foreign boots on Pakistani soil," Qureshi said. "We cannot accept that. They have announced it very categorically, very clearly, that they respect Pakistan's point of view."

Qureshi says, despite having differences on some policies, both sides are working on building trust and finding areas where they have mutual¹³ interests.

Late Monday, Ambassador Holbrooke and Admiral Mullen held talks with resident Asif Zardari, after arriving from Kabul.

In an official statement, President Zardari says Pakistan is committed to eliminating extremism and it needs unconditional¹⁴ international support for education, health and the training and equipment to help fight terrorism.

Ambassador Holbrooke says holding regular meetings among top Pakistani, Afghan and U.S. officials is aimed at finding areas of cooperation for achieving these common goals.
　
Richard Holbrooke, left, President Barack Obama's top envoy for Afghanistan speaks during a meeting with Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Kabul, Sunday, 5 April 2009

"The United States and Pakistan face a common strategic threat, a common enemy and a common challenge, and therefore a common task," Holbrooke said. "We have had a long and complicated history our two countries. And, we cannot put the past behind us but we must learn from it and move forward."

Pakistani and Afghan officials meet next week in Tokyo for international meetings aimed at raising funds for both nations. The next round of trilateral talks is scheduled to be held in Washington during the first week of May.

 

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 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。

3 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。

4 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

5 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

8 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。

9 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

10 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

11 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

12 condoned   

v.容忍，宽恕，原谅( condone的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Terrorism can never be condoned. 决不能容忍恐怖主义。
• They condoned his sins because he repented. 由于他的悔悟，他们宽恕了他的罪。 来自辞典例句

13 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

14 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。