VOA标准英语2013--“叙利亚之友”敦促反对派加入和平谈判

 

'Friends of Syria' Urge Opposition¹ to Join Peace Talks “叙利亚之友”敦促反对派加入和平谈判

STATE DEPARTMENT — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Europe for talks on getting to a transitional government to end Syria's civil war. But there are divisions within the opposition and questions over Iran joining those talks.

国务院——美国国务卿约翰·克里在欧洲进行会谈致力于建立一个过渡政府结束叙利亚的内战。

International efforts to end the fighting in Syria focus on getting President Bashar al-Assad's government and his opponents to agree to peace talks. Syria's opposition is deeply fractured, with some elements refusing to attend talks in Geneva unless President Assad first steps down.

At Tuesday's meeting of the so-called "London 11" backing Syria's opposition, Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague urged those groups to come together behind peace talks in Geneva.

"We urge the National Coalition² to commit itself fully³ to the Geneva 2 process and to lead and form the heart of any opposition delegation⁴. Geneva offers the Syrian people the best hope to improve their lives," said Hague.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said there is no military solution to the conflict.

"This war will not come to an end on the battlefield, I believe, and I think most people believe, it will come to an end through a negotiated settlement."

Assad has agreed in principle to join those talks and wants Iran to come along as part of the process. That is a move backed by Russia, which along with Iran, is the Syrian government's main supporter.

Former U.S. ambassador Adam Ereli said Iran will never allow this conflict to end in a way that weakens its position.

"Think of Iran's support for Bashar al-Assad not as an offensive move but as a defensive⁵ move to keep their enemies farther away, at bay, to give them [Iran] a capability⁶ to protect the homeland by having an ally in Damascus," said Ereli.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is moving forward on talks over Tehran's nuclear program - momentum⁷ that may carry over to talks on Syria, says American University professor Akbar Ahmed.

"You're seeing a certain thaw⁸ emerging, and in that sense Iran I think will play an even more active role in what is happening in Syria, and I think that will be opening-up a different kind of dialogue with Western powers."

This "London 11" meeting is also discussing the war's humanitarian impact with more than two million Syrians displaced by the fighting.

1 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。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

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 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

6 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

7 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

8 thaw   

v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和

参考例句：

• The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
• The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。