VOA标准英语2013--Anger, Fear Sweep Europe After Algeria Attack

 

Anger, Fear Sweep Europe After Algeria Attack

British Prime Minister David Cameron postponed¹ a key speech on Europe to deal with the hostage crisis Friday. After chairing an emergency meeting with ministers, he briefed parliament.

"I offered UK technical and intelligence support - including from experts in hostage negotiation² and rescue - to help find a successful resolution. And I urged that we and other countries affected³ should be consulted before any action was taken," said Cameron.

Dismay at Algeria's handling

Observers say that the diplomatic language masks the anger in European capitals and beyond over the way Algeria has handled the hostage crisis.

Graham Hand is a former British ambassador to Algeria.

“I think they’ve let us down. But this is not untypical Algerian behavior. It is to do with the fact that Algerians are proud, independent people, they would want to sort this out in their own way,” he said.

Hand said the attack marks a new departure for Islamist terrorists in Algeria.

“They really have not hit the oil and gas installations, of which there are many. And I think the fear must be that if this is the start of a new trend, then Algeria is going to have a huge problem,” said Hand.

Huge issue for foreign firms

It also will be a problem for the foreign companies that invest millions of dollars in resource-extraction across the Sahel, said international security consultant⁴ David Rubens.

“On a global scale, the loss of facilities is one thing, but losing 20 percent of your share price is a completely different situation. And I think that for a lot of people in the major boardrooms not far from here in central London, there are some serious discussions going on about the long-term implications. This is not a problem that’s going to go away in three weeks or three months,” said Rubens.

British oil giant BP, the co-operator of the natural gas complex, has begun pulling out non-essential workers from Algeria.

High-stakes situation remains⁵

And as armored vehicles continue to roll off military transport planes at Bamako airport, Rubens said the French intervention⁶ in Mali - which the attackers say prompted their action - has raised the stakes across the region.

“I think the likelihood of an attack of this nature being made on a facility of this nature had to be considered a possibility,” said Rubens.

Hand said this is a critical moment for the region and for Europe.

“Libya hasn’t settled. There are still some question marks over Tunisia. Now we have Mali and we have trouble in Algeria. And I think we must not turn our backs on that region because it is only a very short distance from Europe,” said Hand.

Analysts⁷ say concerns that Islamic militancy⁸ is gaining a foothold just across the Mediterranean⁹ likely will build support for France’s intervention in Mali. 

1 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

5 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。

6 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

7 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。

8 militancy   

n.warlike behavior or tendency

参考例句：

• Full of militancy and revolutionary ardour, the people of all nationalities in the country are working hard for the realization of the four modernizations. 全国各族人民意气风发， 斗志昂扬，为实现四个现代化而奋战。
• The seniority system is another factor that leads to union militancy. 排资论辈制度也是导致工会好斗争的另一因素。

9 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。