French, German Leaders Agree on European Debt Plans

 　　French and German leaders say they will present plans to stabilize¹ the crisis-stricken eurozone by the end of the month. The agreement by Europe's two economic powerhouses comes ahead of a key Group of 20 summit early next month.

　　At a news conference in Berlin with German Chancellor² Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the two leaders agreed on ways to halt the debt crisis spreading across the 17 nations sharing the euro currency.

　　Mr. Sarkozy said the measures include recapitalizing shaky European banks, which he said is critical to ensure that the European economy grows and prospers³.

　　The latest bank to be hit by the financial crisis is the Franco-Belgium bank Dexia. The French, Belgium and Luxembourg governments reached agreement Sunday to dismantle⁴ the bank.

　　Mr. Sarkozy said Paris and Berlin are waiting for a report by financial experts on Greece's progress in implementing⁵ key reforms in order to receive another installment⁶ of bailout funds. But he said the two nations agreed on finding a lasting⁷ and global response to the debt crisis.

　　The crisis that has hit both shaky European economies like Greece and Portugal and a number of European banks that have lent them money has sparked growing alarm, not only in Europe but also overseas. U.S. President Barack Obama has urged the Europeans to come up with a plan to resolve the spreading crisis before an early November summit of the Group of 20 leading economies.

　　Mr. Sarkozy vowed⁸ that Europe will have resolved its problems before the G20 summit, which takes place in the French resort town of Cannes. European leaders are certain to be discussing ways to do so when they meet in Brussels later this month.

1 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

2 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

3 prospers   

v.成功，兴旺( prosper的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Whatever prospers my business is welcome. 凡使我生意兴隆者皆竭诚欢迎。 来自辞典例句
• Whatever prospers my business is good. 任何使我生意兴隆的都是好的。 来自辞典例句

4 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

5 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

6 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。

7 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

8 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。