French Foreign Minister Meets Burmese Opposition Figure

 　　France's top diplomatic envoy¹ met with Burma's leading opposition² figure Sunday, as he became the latest Western official to visit the Asian nation following a series of fast-paced reforms. The trip comes shortly after the United States restored full diplomatic ties with Burma.

　　The visit by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe is the latest sign of Western approval of recent reforms by the new civilian³ government in Burma, after years of authoritarian⁴ rule.

　　In Rangoon, Juppe met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, to whom France is giving its highest award, the Legion of Honor.

　　At a news conference, Aung San Suu Kyi said she hoped the Burmese government's recent release of more than 650 prisoners, including many political activists⁵, will reinforce the process of democratization and national reconciliation⁶ in her country.

　　The French minister's trip to Burma follows a similar visit in December by Hillary Clinton, who became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the Asian nation in more than half a century.  On Friday, Washington restored full diplomatic ties with Burma, following the prisoner release.

　　Juppe told reporters he had met with some of the newly freed prisoners and had saluted⁷ their courage and dignity.  He said France and the European Union will consider how to adapt sanctions and their relations with Burmese authorities in light of the country's democratic progress.

　　Juppe is expected to meet Monday with Burma's president, Thein Sein, in the capital.  The French envoy has welcomed the recent Burmese government reforms as "historic."

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

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 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

7 saluted   

v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。
• He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》