2006年VOA标准英语-New Nepali Government Ready for Talks With

By Subel Bhandari
New Delhi
23 May 2006

 
Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli
  
Nepal's deputy prime minister says the government is ready for peace talks with Maoist rebels, but rebel violence must cease before a constituent¹ assembly to decide the future of the monarchy² can be elected. The remarks came as Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala expanded his cabinet in preparation for the negotiations³.

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Nepali Deputy Prime Minister KP Oli told VOA News that the government is ready to begin talks with communist rebels as soon as possible.

"The goal of the talks is to resolve the armed conflict in this country and establish a permanent peace," he said.  "We want to reach… [a] cease-fire agreement. We want to build up a human rights accord. And we want to hold the talks as soon as possible - immediately."

The head of the Maoist negotiating team, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, arrived in Kathmandu two days ago.

The government has selected Home Minister Krishna Sitaula to head the government delegation⁴, but has not yet appointed its other members.

The talks with the Maoist rebels are aimed at ending a decade-long insurgency⁵ that has killed more than 13,000 people. Previous peace talks with the rebels collapsed⁶ in 2001 and 2003.

In anticipation⁷ of the new talks, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Monday added 11 new ministers to his cabinet, bringing the total to 18.

Last week, parliament approved a plan to hold elections for a constituent assembly to decide the future of monarchy, a key rebel demand.

The parliament also curtailed⁸ the powers of King Gyanendra, including his control over the armed forces, and declared itself the "supreme⁹" organ of state.

Some Nepalese have expressed frustration¹⁰ over the slow pace of the peace talks, but Deputy Prime Minister Oli said time is needed to prepare a code of conduct for the talks.

He says that concrete measures must be taken to avoid violence during the eventual¹¹ elections.

"Before constituent assembly elections, there should be guaranteed that no more violence in any pretension¹² will be again repeated in the future," he said.  "In this or that form, they [the Maoists] cannot use arms, they cannot take [up] arms during the constituent assembly elections."

The leader of the communist rebel group, Phushpa Kamal Dahal, known as Prachanda, said in a recent interview that the rebels would not lay down arms before the election.

1 constituent   

n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的

参考例句：

• Sugar is the main constituent of candy.食糖是糖果的主要成分。
• Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet.纤维是健康饮食的天然组成部分。

2 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

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 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 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

6 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

7 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

8 curtailed   

v.截断，缩短( curtail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Spending on books has been severely curtailed. 购书开支已被大大削减。
• Their public health programme had to be severely curtailed. 他们的公共卫生计划不得不大大收缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

10 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

11 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

12 pretension   

n.要求；自命，自称；自负

参考例句：

• I make no pretension to skill as an artist,but I enjoy painting.我并不自命有画家的技巧，但我喜欢绘画。
• His action is a satire on his boastful pretension.他的行动是对他自我卖弄的一个讽刺。