277 马其顿达成通用语言协议

 

Language Agreement Reached in Macedonia

Stefan Bos

Budapest

1 Aug 2001 23:54 UTC

 

Western mediators say Macedonian political leaders have agreed on greater official use of the Albanian language. The language issue was seen as a major 1)stumbling block on the road to peace in the troubled former Yugoslav Republic. But United States and European Union 2)mediators have already cautioned that several other difficult issues have yet to be 3)resolved to end Macedonia's five-month old ethnic¹ conflict.

After five days of tense negotiations³, at a Presidential 4)retreat in the lakeside city of Ohrid, political leaders agreed to make the Albanian language a more important part of Macedonian society.

U.S. envoy⁴ James Pardew described the language agreement as an important step toward peace in the troubled Balkan nation. "We are not out of the woods yet." he said. But we have gotten past, I think, the most difficult issue to be resolved."

Mr. Pardew says that finalizing⁵ an agreement on ending five months of 5)ethnic 6)conflict in Macedonia 7)hinges on the 8)outcome of talks on ethnic Albanian demands to have more control over local police, in regions where they form a majority.

"The next difficult issue is the nature of the police," he said. "Will they be locally controlled or centrally controlled from the Capital? And what will be the composition of the police force? We expect also this to be a very difficult negotiation²."

Albanian political parties have made it clear that Macedonia's 9)estimated 600,000 ethnic Albanians should have more say over who leads the police in areas where they form a majority.

But leaders of the Macedonian majority seem to fear that ethnic Albanian gunmen known as the National Liberation Army NLA could change their uniforms and join local police forces if these are no longer under central Government control. They are concerned that this will lead to the further break up of Macedonia.

Government officials insist the NLA wants to 10)merge the largely ethnic Albanian areas of northern Macedonia with neighboring Kosovo. But NLA leaders assert their struggle is for equal rights for Macedonia's Albanian minority and say they are ready to continue their battle if no final peace agreement is reached.

NLA and Macedonian forces have been 11)clashing since February. Western mediators have tried to convince all sides that time to avoid a full-scale civil war is running out. NATO has said it is ready to send about 3,000 peacekeepers to Macedonia, on the condition that 12)representatives of ethnic Albanians and Macedonia's majority sign and respect a final peace agreement and political settlement.

Although violence has diminished in recent days as both sides observe a cease-fire, 13)sporadic attacks continue as reminders⁶ that Macedonia remains⁷ volatile⁸ and a 14)hotbed for ethnic 15)hatred. At least one Macedonian police officer was killed early Wednesday, outside a police checkpoint near the city of Tetovo.

 

 

(1)      stumbling block n.障碍物, 绊脚石

(2)      mediator[5mi:dIeItE(r)]n.调停者, 仲裁人

(3)      resolved adj.下定决心的, 断然的

(4)      retreat[rI`tri:t]vi.撤退, 退却n.撤退, 退却

(5)      ethnic[5eWnIk]adj.人种的, 种族的, 异教徒的

(6)      conflict[5kRnflIkt]n.斗争, 冲突vi.抵触, 冲突

(7)      hinge on v.靠...转动, 以...为转移

(8)      outcome[5aJtkQm]n.结果, 成果

(9)      estimate[5estImEt]n. v.估计, 估价, 评估

(10)      merge[m:dV]v.合并, 并入, 结合, 吞没, 融合

(11)      clash[klAF]n.冲突, 撞击声, 抵触v.猛撞, 冲突

(12)      representative[reprI5zentEtIv]n.代表adj.典型的, 有代表性的

(13)      sporadic[spE5rAdIk]adj.零星的

(14)      hotbed[5hRtbed]n.温床

(15)      hatred[5heItrId]n.憎恨, 仇恨

 

 

1 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。

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 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 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。

5 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网

6 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

7 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。

8 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。