联合国调查叙利亚毒气事件

 　　UNITED NATIONS—The U.N. Security Council unanimously agreed Friday to establish a joint¹ investigation² mechanism³ to identify perpetrators of chlorine and other toxic⁴ chemical attacks in Syria. It is the first time the council has sought to establish accountability for such attacks in Syria.

　　In 2013, the world was shocked by horrific sarin gas attacks on the opposition⁵-controlled Damascus suburb of Ghouta that killed hundreds of civilians⁶.

　　The government of President Bashar al-Assad denied conducting the attacks, but did accept a Russian-U.S. deal to declare its chemical weapons stockpiles and allow international inspectors⁷ to remove and destroy them.

　　UN Seeks Accountability for Syria Gas Attacks

　　But despite their verified destruction, in February, the Organization for the Prohibition⁸ of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said its monitors were highly confident that the toxic chemical chlorine had been used repeatedly and systematically⁹ as a weapon.

　　Chlorine has been dropped in barrel bombs from aircraft. The Syrian opposition does not have any planes or helicopters, only the government.  The government has repeatedly denied carrying out such attacks. On Friday, Syria's U.N. envoy¹⁰ repeated that denial in the council and described witness testimony¹¹ about attacks by government aircraft as “fabrications.”

　　The United States worked for several months on the Security Council resolution seeking accountability for those who commit such attacks.

　　U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said the new mechanism sends a strong message, “that now finally the international community has the tools to identify you — the perpetrators — and we intend to do so.”

　　The new resolution establishes a joint U.N.-OPCW investigative mechanism to determine who has used chemical weapons in Syria. Until now the organization has been authorized¹² only  to determine that chemicals had been used, but not by whom.

　　The U.N. secretary-general and OPCW director-general now have 20 days to give the Security Council their recommendations for establishing the mechanism. Once the council agrees to those recommendations, the mechanism will become operational for an initial period of one year.

　　Power called the lengthy¹³ negotiations¹⁴ “painstaking.” After meetings this week between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, agreement was finally reached on the text.

　　Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin told reporters that drafting the resolution was challenging because they were putting together an “innovative” mechanism. He said he hopes cooperation could continue on the political track, noting the council is working on a statement of support for U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura. Churkin said consensus¹⁵ on that would be “another very important step in our working together on difficult matters.”

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

5 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。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 prohibition   

n.禁止；禁令，禁律

参考例句：

• The prohibition against drunken driving will save many lives.禁止酒后开车将会减少许多死亡事故。
• They voted in favour of the prohibition of smoking in public areas.他们投票赞成禁止在公共场所吸烟。

9 systematically   

adv.有系统地

参考例句：

• This government has systematically run down public services since it took office.这一屆政府自上台以来系统地削减了公共服务。
• The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.雨林正被系统地毀灭。

10 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。

11 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

12 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

13 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

14 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。

15 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？