VOA标准英语2009-Clinton Urges Immediate, Unconditional, Freedom

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday called for the immediate¹ and unconditional² release of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who faces possible imprisonment³ for allegedly violating terms of her house arrest. Clinton discussed the issue with Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah bin⁴ Haji Aman.
　
Burmese opposition⁵ leader Aung San Suu Kyi (file photo)

Clinton says the latest criminal charges against Aung San Suu Kyi are baseless and she is urging Malaysia, other members of ASEAN - the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - and regional powers including China to use their leverage⁶ to gain the release of the opposition leader.

Aung San Suu Kyi, whose latest term of house arrest was about to expire, has been charged with violating terms of her detention⁷ after a bizarre incident in which a U.S. national swam to her lakeside home.
　
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (r) and Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah bin Haji Aman, 13 May 2009

At a press event with her Malaysian counterpart, Clinton said she is deeply troubled by the new charges against the Nobel peace laureate, which she said run counter to the rule of law, the charter of ASEAN - of which Burma is a member - and efforts to promote national reconciliation⁸ and progress in that country.

"We oppose the regime's efforts to use this incident as a pretext⁹ to place further unjustified restrictions¹⁰ on her," said hillary Clinton. "And therefore we call on the Burmese authorities to release her immediately and unconditionally¹¹, along with her doctor, and the more than 21 hundred [2,100] political prisoners currently being held."

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won Burmese national elections in 1990 but she was barred from taking power and has been under various forms of detention most of the time since then.

Clinton said she had great admiration¹² for Aung Sann Suu Kyi's sacrifices and love of country and said while there can be political differences in every society, countries should abide¹³ by the rule of law and in the case of Burma the ASEAN charter to which it is a signatory.

For his part, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah said his government shares concern about the situation in Burma and will seek the involvement of the ASEAN Secretariat on the issue - saying the solution of the matter lies with engagement, and not the isolation¹⁴, of the Burmese military government.

The two also discussed the issue of maritime¹⁵ piracy¹⁶ off the Somali coast, with Clinton hailing Malaysia's role in naval¹⁷ patrols in the region and past successes against pirates in the critical Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia.

Clinton said she will visit Southeast Asia in July to attend a regional forum¹⁸ with ASEAN foreign ministers in Thailand.

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 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。

3 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

4 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

7 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

8 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

9 pretext   

n.借口，托词

参考例句：

• He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
• He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

10 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

11 unconditionally   

adv.无条件地

参考例句：

• All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
• It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工，真糟糕！ 来自子夜部分

12 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

13 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

14 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

15 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

16 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

17 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

18 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。