VOA标准英语2011-Russian President Visits West Bank

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has made a rare visit to the West Bank, where he reaffirmed Moscow's recognition of a Palestinian state.

With drums beating, schoolboys parading, and scores of people lining¹ streets decked with Russian and Palestinian flags, the Russian leader's visit gave Palestinians a chance to show themselves as ready for statehood.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Medvedev to Jericho, where the two signed a number of cooperation agreements. The Russian leader inaugurated a Russian art museum in the ancient town and pledged millions of dollars in development aid.

Medvedev recalled that in 1988, Russia, as part of the Soviet² Union, was among the first in the world to recognize a Palestinian state. He said Moscow supported and will support what he described as the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to an independent state with its capital in east Jerusalem.

The words of reaffirmation are what Palestinian leaders have been hoping to hear from nations around the world as they seek international support for Palestinian statehood. It is a part of the strategy they are implementing³ as an alternative to stalled peace negotiations⁴ with Israel.

Israeli foreign ministry⁵ spokesman Yigal Palmor said there were no surprises in Medvedev's remarks. "There is no change here and there is no reason to be concerned," said Palmor. "What we are concerned about, however, is the Palestinians' attempts to evade⁶ all initiative to renew direct negotiations with Israel and instead rely on gathering⁷ as many expressions of a Palestinian state as possible."

Talks have been on hold since September when the Palestinians walked out after Israel refused to renew a construction freeze on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Medvedev had earlier planned a state visit to Israel, but that visit was canceled due to a labor⁸ strike by employees of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

1 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

2 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

3 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 evade   

vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避

参考例句：

• He tried to evade the embarrassing question.他企图回避这令人难堪的问题。
• You are in charge of the job.How could you evade the issue?你是负责人，你怎么能对这个问题不置可否？

7 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

8 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。