VOA慢速英语2012 IN THE NEWS - American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Will Meet with Egypt's New President

 

IN THE NEWS - American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Will Meet with Egypt's New President

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The United States and Egypt have had a long and close relationship for more than thirty years. The United States has provided over one billion dollars yearly in military and economic aid to the Arab nation.

Many Egyptians have criticized the aid, saying it does not directly reach civilians¹. They also do not approve of what they believe is American interference in their national concerns.

On Sunday, American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Egypt. She is to meet with the newly elected Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, other senior government officials and leaders in civil society and business. The State Department says she will express American support for Egypt’s democratic changes and economic development.

It is clear that relations between Egypt and the United States will continue. But many people are re-examining the relationship. In Cairo, Ahmed, an official with the Agriculture Ministry² in Egypt, says he hopes the United States will support the nation without linking the relationship to Egypt’s natural resources.

AHMED: "We don't ask for a lot; we don't want them to provide us the same [aid] they give Israel or the whole region. But the issue is, what is best for us - democracy, development, whatever it is."

Manar Shorbagy, a professor of political science at the American University in Cairo, says the United States should re-examine how it deals with Egypt. She also says the United States has defined its interests as in and protection of Israel.

Miz Shorbagy says Egyptians demanded respect from their government during the Arab Spring pro-democracy revolution. She believes they will demand the same from the rest of the world.

In two thousand nine, President Obama visited Cairo and made a historic speech about a new beginning between the United States and the Arab and Muslim world. He spoke³ about removing years of mistrust, finding common positions and relations based on shared respect.

However, Miz Shorbagy says President Obama meant well, but his words have produced an unwanted effect. She says that after the president’s talk in Cairo, Egyptians increased their expectations of the United States. But none of the promises have been kept, which she believes has worsened the situation.

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Mohamed is a twenty-year-old history teacher. He says he has not seen any difference in how the United States deals with Arab dictators or the Palestinian issue since the Obama speech.

The Gallup research organization asked groups of Egyptians this year about their opinions on several issues. The study found that more than half the Egyptians who took part believed closer relations with the United States was a bad thing. Only one fourth of the Egyptians who were asked said they supported continuing the United States military and economic programs in their country.

Political writer Atef El Ghamry says Egypt is now in a period when Egyptians themselves, not just the government will decide foreign policy concerning the United States. He says it is important that America change a lot of its positions.”

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Kim Varzi. I'm Steve Ember.

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Contributing: Margaret Besheer

1 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。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。