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118 卢旺达和乌干达致力于改善两国关系
Rwanda, Uganda Pledge to Improve Relations
Katy Salmon
Nairobi
6 Jul 2001 17:47 UTC
The leaders of Rwanda and Uganda are 1)pledging to improve relations between their nations. The two countries once were strong allies, but tensions between them have increased since war broke out in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The recent 2)defection of 50 Ugandan troops to Rwanda has added to tensions between the two governments.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni met in the Rwandan border town of Gatuna.
In a statement after the meeting, the two leaders pledged to 3)harmonize their positions on matters of 4)mutual interest to 5)consolidate peace and stability in the region.
Relations between the two one-time allies have 6)deteriorated sharply since 1998, when forces from Rwanda and Uganda invaded Congo. At the time, the two armies were fighting in support of Congolese rebels trying to overthrow President Laurent Kabila. But 7)clashes eventually 8)erupted between the two nations over control of Kisangani, a key city in north-central Congo that is the center of the local diamond trade.
Rwandan and Ugandan troops have clashed three times over Kisangani. At least 1,000 Congolese civilians were killed after their last major battle in June of last year.
In recent months, each country has accused the other of giving 9)shelter and support to their own rebellious elements. In March, Uganda put Rwanda on an official list of states hostile to it.
Last week, about 50 Ugandan military officers defected to Rwanda, and one of those who defected, a senior army officer, Lt. Col. Anthony Kyakabale, vowed to 10)wage war against the Ugandan government.
However, the Rwandan government has made it clear that the Ugandan 11)defectors will not be allowed to use their country to launch political activities against Uganda.
Presidents Museveni and Kagame have met three times in unsuccessful efforts to 12)patch up their differences.
Friday's meeting took place following Western pressure to 13)eliminate a source of instability in a region that is 14)plagued by rebellions and civil war.
The two men, like their countries, were once close. While in exile in Uganda, Mr. Kagame served as Mr. Museveni's chief of military intelligence. Mr. Museveni, in turn, backed Mr. Kagame's 1994 invasion of Rwanda, when his Rwandan Patriotic Front seized power from the Hutu government which was responsible for Rwanda's massacre in 1994.
(1) pledge[pledV]n.保证, 誓言vt.保证, 使发誓, 抵押
(2) defection[dI5fekF(E)n]n.缺点, 背信, 背叛, 变节
(3) harmonize[5hB:mEnaIz]v.协调
(4) mutual[5mju:tjJEl]adj.相互的, 共有的
(5) consolidate[kEn5sRlIdeIt]v.巩固
(6) deteriorate[dI5tIErIEreIt]v.(使)恶化
(7) clash[klAF]n.冲突, 撞击声, 抵触v.猛撞, 冲突
(8) erupt[I5rQpt]vt.喷出vi.爆发
(9) shelter[5FeltE(r)]n.掩蔽处, 身避处,庇护所v.掩蔽, 躲避
(10) wage[weIdV]v.发动
(11) defector[ dI`fektE(r) ]n.背叛者, 叛离者
(12) patch up v.修补, 平息, 拼凑
(13) eliminate[I5lImIneIt]vt.排除, 消除v.除去
(14) plague[pleI^]n.麻烦, 苦恼vt.折磨, 使苦恼
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