VOA标准英语2009-Indian Prime Minister Open to Peace Talks wi

In a wide-ranging policy speech to India's Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed hopes of restarting peace talks with Pakistan. The prime minister also called for a high-level dialog with Australia, in response to recent racist¹ attacks on Indian students there. Following months of tension in wake of the Mumbai terrorist attack, India's prime minister is expressing a willingness to resume peace talks with Pakistan, which could cool tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
　
Manmohan Singh (File)

India blames last November's terrorist siege of its financial capital on the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. The attack left dead nearly 170 people.

Speaking to Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, with the fate of 1.5 billion people at stake, India is willing to meet "more than half way" its neighbor and long-time military rival.

"It is in our vital interest, therefore, to try again to make peace with Pakistan. But I recognize it takes two hands to clap," he said.

The biggest barrier to peace is the divided Kashmir region, which both nations have claimed since winning independence from Britain in 1947. The territorial² dispute has been the catalyst³ for repeated battles between the armies of India and Pakistan during the past 62 years.

In his Parliament speech, the prime minister made clear progress in resuming the slow-paced peace talks would depend on Islamabad bringing to justice terror suspects New Delhi blames for attacks on Indian soil.
　
Activists⁴ of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party protest near Australian Embassy in New Delhi, India, 04 Jun 2009

Mr. Singh also made note of the recent attacks on Indian students in Australia. The spate⁵ of physical assaults, which Indians say are racially motivated, has caused a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Canberra.

Mr. Singh told lawmakers he has been discussing the issue with his Australian counterpart, Kevin Rudd, who he says has assured him action will be taken to protect the nearly 100,000 Indians studying there.

"I propose to engage the authorities in Australia in a high-level dialog with a view to taking stock of the situation and to providing adequate security for Indian security," he said.

Remarking on relations with India's major economic rival, China, Mr. Singh deemed the Chinese a "strategic partner" and says the multi-faceted bilateral⁶ relationship should not be viewed in "antagonistic⁷ terms."

Responding to legislators' concerns about repeated Chinese incursions into Indian territory, Mr. Singh said no country should make no mistake in doubting India would act to protect its boundaries.

Indian media report a surge of incursions by China along the un-demarcated border since 2007. The alleged⁸ incidents occurred in Ladakh (an ethnic⁹ Tibetan region in Kashmir), the state of Arunachal Pradesh and in formerly¹⁰ independent Sikkim. China maintains territorial claims in all three areas.

1 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

2 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

3 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

4 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》

5 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

6 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

7 antagonistic   

adj.敌对的

参考例句：

• He is always antagonistic towards new ideas.他对新思想总是持反对态度。
• They merely stirred in a nervous and wholly antagonistic way.他们只是神经质地，带着完全敌对情绪地骚动了一下。

8 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

9 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

10 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。