VOA标准英语2008年-Zimbabwe Talks to Resume After Consultations

South Africa's president, who is mediating¹ talks between Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF Party and the opposition² Movement for Democratic Change, says the talks have not broken down. The talks adjourned³ amid reports of a deadlock⁴ over the opposition leader's role in a national unity⁵ government. Peta Thornycroft has more.

Opposition sources in Harare and South African sources close to the talks say Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, was offered a position of a vice⁶ president.

The chief negotiator for President Robert Mugabe, Patrick Chinamasa, reportedly told the negotiating teams that his mandate⁷ was to offer Mr. Tsvanagirai the role of third vice president, without executive powers.

South African President Thabo Mbeki says both parties will try to conclude negotiations⁸ within the agreed two weeks.

"They are indeed very determined⁹ to keep to that commitment," he said. "They will be adjourning¹⁰ shortly for a couple of days because they want to go back Harare to go and consult with their principals about the work that has been, and then come back by the end of the week to resume the negotiations. But they are proceeding¹¹."

The leader of the pressure group, the National Constitutional Assembly, Lovemore Madhuku, said Mr. Mugabe was never prepared to hand over power, even though his ZANU-PF party lost its parliamentary majority to the opposition in the March elections.

Madhuku said he would not be surprised if Mr. Mugabe now proceeded to choose a cabinet and summon parliament, which he had delayed ahead of the negotiations.

In the March presidential election, Mr. Tsvangirai got more votes than Mr. Mugabe, but not enough to avoid a runoff. Mr. Tsvangirai pulled out of the runoff because of what he called a campaign of state-sponsored violence against his supporters.

 

1 mediating   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的现在分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• So many factors are mediating. 如此众多的因素在起作用。
• The contrast in mediating noted in the sitting room. 客厅中注重了调和中的对比。

2 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。

3 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

4 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

8 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。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 adjourning   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Before adjourning, councillors must stop procrastinating and revisit this controversial issue. 在休会之前，参议员必须停止拖延，重新讨论这个引起争议的问题。
• They decided upon adjourning the session. 他们决定休会。

11 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。