2007年VOA标准英语-Iraq's Foreign Minister Confirms Support for Ne

By Stephanie Ho
Washigton
14 January 2007

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari speaks to the media (File photo)

Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari says his government supports the new strategy for his country, as outlined by President Bush in a speech Wednesday in Washington. At the same time, he repeated Iraqi government calls for U.S. forces to release five Iranians who were detained last week in Iraqi Kurdistan. VOA's Stephanie Ho reports from Washington.

Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari said his government is in favor of President Bush's plan, which calls for an increase of more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq.

"We think it is consistent with our strategy, also, to provide better security for Baghdad, and to move on the political and economic issues that are facing our government," said Zebari. "Additional troops are needed, indeed, because Baghdad has become the battleground for all the terrorist insurgents¹."

Speaking on CNN's Late Edition, he said he believes the U.S. and Iraqi governments share a common goal, achieving peace in Iraq, and that his government is ready to rise to the challenge of helping² achieve it.

"This would be an Iraqi-led security campaign, supported by the coalition³, with a strong political will by the government, to be even-handed in dealing⁴ with all the sources of violence and terrorism, in Baghdad streets and neighborhoods, irrespective of their sectarian affiliations," continued Zebari.

When asked if his government will crack down on the militia⁵ of powerful Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al Sadr, the Iraqi foreign minister emphasized that no group that poses a threat to the Iraqi people will be excluded.

Meanwhile, Zebari repeated calls from his government for U.S. forces to release five Iranians detained last week in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The U.S. military says the detainees are tied to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard group that provides money and weapons to insurgents in Iraq. Iran says they are diplomats⁶ who were engaged in legal activity.

The Iraqi foreign minister said although the Iranian facility in the Iraqi city of Irbil is not a diplomatic mission, the five Iranians were doing diplomatic work.

"I have to clarify to you and to your audience that in fact, these five Iranians have been working for many years in a liaison⁷ office," he added. "It is not a consulate⁸ or a diplomatic mission. We are in the process of regularizing, normalizing, that office into some sort of consulate entity⁹."

Zebari agreed with President Bush's comments that the Iraqi government should work to stop efforts by Iran and Syria to support terrorism in Iraq.

But he indicated that Iraq has to, in his words, "live with" Iran and Syria, and that his government is committed to cultivating good neighborly relations with both of them.

1 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 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。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

6 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 liaison   

n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通

参考例句：

• She acts as a liaison between patients and staff.她在病人与医护人员间充当沟通的桥梁。
• She is responsible for liaison with researchers at other universities.她负责与其他大学的研究人员联系。

8 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

9 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。