European Summit Splits Bloc, May Not Solve Problems

 　　European leaders took steps to deal with some of their long term financial problems at a summit in Brussels last week.  But they are moving ahead without one of the continent's largest economies Britain, and they left some important problems unresolved.

　　It was a long night of negotiating at European Union headquarters in Brussels, lasting¹ well past midnight.

　　Inside, the 27 European leaders tried to negotiate new fiscal² rules.  But in the end, British Prime Minister David Cameron vetoed the deal, leading to some apparently³ frosty moments with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other leaders.

　　The man who chairs EU summits explained what happened.

　　"The 17 member states of the euro zone and already many others are committed to a new fiscal compact, " said Cameron.  "It is about more fiscal discipline, more automatic sanctions, stricter surveillance."

　　But Britain won't participate.  Back in London, Cameron defended his decision at a typically raucous⁴ session of parliament.

　　"Frankly⁵ I have to tell the house, the choice was a treaty without proper safeguards or no treaty and the right answer was no treaty," said Cameron.  "It was not an easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do."

　　Cameron said he vetoed the plan, preventing it from becoming official EU policy, because it would have hurt Britain's important financial services industry and given too much power over the British budget to bureaucrats⁶ in Brussels.

　　As expected the move was not welcomed by the opposition⁷ leader.

　　"He has given up our seat at the table," Edward Miliband said.  "He has exposed, not protected, British business.  And he has come back with a bad deal for Britain."

　　Somewhat less expected was criticism from Cameron's coalition⁸ partner and deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg.

　　"I think isolation⁹ in Europe, when we are one against 26 is potentially a bad thing for jobs, bad thing for growth and a bad thing for the livelihoods¹⁰ of millions of people in this country," said Clegg.

　　Britain has previously¹¹ excluded itself from the common euro currency and refused to join the EU's open-borders agreement.  But it still manages to be an influential¹² member of the group.  Cameron says the decision to allow the others to go ahead with new fiscal rules will be no different.

　　"When it comes to things like defense¹³, we are the key European member of NATO," noted¹⁴ Cameron.  "When it comes to the single market, we're probably the most respected voice in the European Union.  But when it comes to the eurozone, should we really argue we have to be at every meeting where they discuss the euro?"

　　But some analysts¹⁵ say the decision will leave Britain on the outside of important discussions that will affect its key trading partners in Europe during this economically fragile period.  Among them is Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group risk assessment¹⁶ firm.

　　"The UK is in effect now completely isolated," said Rahman.  "In effect, he's out in the cold and it's going to make the UK's relationship with the EU going forward much more complicated, much more precarious¹⁷."

　　And the top EU economics official says British banks and brokers¹⁸ will not escape tighter regulation designed to avoid a repeat of the current crisis.

　　"That's not going to happen," said EU Economics Commissioner¹⁹ Olli Rehn.

　　More importantly, according to Jennifer McKeown of Capital Economics, the EU leaders didn't do enough to solve their main problems at the summit - which she says are lack of competitiveness and slow growth.

　　"We're now forecasting that Greece will leave the eurozone next year," said McKeown.  "And we think there's a good possibility that some other small economies follow it, perhaps in 2013.  At the moment, we've penciled in the departure of Portugal and perhaps Ireland, too."

　　So for all the intra-Europe tension, and all the fallout back in Britain, the EU leaders may have only calmed the financial markets partly and temporarily.  Early next year, when some of the continent's troubled economies need to borrow more money, some analysts say the crisis atmosphere could easily return.

1 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。

2 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

3 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

4 raucous   

adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的

参考例句：

• I heard sounds of raucous laughter upstairs.我听见楼上传来沙哑的笑声。
• They heard a bottle being smashed,then more raucous laughter.他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。

5 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

6 bureaucrats   

n.官僚( bureaucrat的名词复数 )；官僚主义；官僚主义者；官僚语言

参考例句：

• That is the fate of the bureaucrats, not the inspiration of statesmen. 那是官僚主义者的命运，而不是政治家的灵感。 来自辞典例句
• Big business and dozens of anonymous bureaucrats have as much power as Japan's top elected leaders. 大企业和许多不知名的官僚同日本选举出来的最高层领导者们的权力一样大。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 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。

9 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

10 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

11 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

12 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

15 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

16 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

17 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

18 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

19 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。