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93 北爱尔兰面临政治动荡
Northern Ireland Moves Closer to Political Turmoil
Laurie Kassman
London
1 Jul 2001 12:13 UTC
Northern Ireland is moving closer to political 1)turmoil. Protestant First Minister David Trimble has resigned as head of the power-sharing government.
David Trimble's resignation became effective at the 2)stroke of midnight. He had resigned as head of the power-sharing government over a dispute concerning the speed of the IRA's Irish Republican Army) 3)disarmament. "Because I can no longer have any confidence in the promises, unfulfilled promises, made by republicans," he said. "Because I wanted to 4)ensure that there would be no suggestion of the process moving beyond this without the issue being properly settled, that I have now ceased to be First Minister in Northern Ireland."
A few hours later, Mr. Trimble said he was ready to 5)resume his position. But, once again he conditioned it on the IRA disarming. Ulster Unionist leader Trimble complains the IRA has not fulfilled its commitment to disarm as required by the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement.
The IRA says it let special monitors inspect their 6)stockpiles to 7)verify their weapons have been locked up and put beyond use.
Gerry Adams, who heads the IRA's political 8)wing, Sinn Fein, calls Mr. Trimble's resignation political 9)brinkmanship. "I don't want to see the institutions slipping," he said, "but it isn't within my reach to prevent them, if 10)kamikaze politics is what is dominating the Unionists' approach to all of this." Mr. Adams says republican ministers have not resigned from the power-sharing assembly even though the promised police reforms and British troop reductions have not been fully 11)implemented, either. For the time being, Northern Ireland's government is on the brink of 12)collapse. The peace process calls for a six-week period after the First Minister's resignation to find a 13)permanent replacement or organize new elections.
Britain's top minister for Northern Ireland, John Reid, says efforts are under way to try to prevent the Belfast institutions from total collapse. "We should recommit ourselves and redouble our efforts to make sure that the peace process is fully implemented," he said.
Last year, London temporarily 14)suspended home rule to avert a collapse of Northern Ireland's institutions. Britain is 15)reluctant to do it again amid fears the whole peace process would collapse.
The 1998 peace agreement that now appears in jeopardy had been credited with ending three decades of bloodshed between Catholic republicans who fought for independence from British rule and Protestant Unionists who fought to stay a part of Britain.
(1) turmoil[5t:mCIl]n.骚动, 混乱
(2) stroke[strEJk]n.击, 敲, 报时的钟声, 打击vt.抚摸
(3) disarmament[dIs5B:mEmEnt]n.裁军
(4) ensure[In5FJE(r); (?@) In5FJEr]vt.保证,使安全v.确保, 保证
(5) resume[rI5zju:m; (?@) -5zu:m]vt.再继续, 重新开始,再用, 恢复
(6) stockpilen.积蓄, 库存vt.储蓄, 贮存
(7) verify[5verIfaI]vt.检验, 校验, 查证, 核实
(8) wing[wIN]n.翅,翼,派别
(9) brinkmanship[5brINkmEnFIp]n.边缘政策
(10) kamikaze[kAmI5kB:zI]n.<日> (第二次世界大战期间日本空军敢死队)神风对队员, 此种战术之飞机或驾驶员
(11) implement[5ImplImEnt]n.工具, 器具vt.贯彻, 实现v.执行
(12) collapse[kE5lAps]n. vi.倒塌, 崩溃, 失败
(13) permanent[5p:mEnEnt]adj.永久的, 持久的
(14) suspend[sE5spend]vt.吊, 悬挂v.延缓
(15) reluctant[rI5lQktEnt]adj.不顾的, 勉强的, 难得到的, 难处理的
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