US Lifts More Sanctions Against Libya

 

By David Gollust

President Bush Monday lifted sanctions barring most U.S. trade with Libya. The move clears the way for compensation payments to families of victims of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103, for which Libya has taken responsibility.
The White House action lifts several more layers of U.S. economic sanctions against Libya and follows a set of what administration officials said were productive senior-level talks between the two governments late last week in London.
In a message to Congress, President Bush said he was revoking¹ executive orders dating back to the mid-1980's that, among other things, barred scheduled and charter air service to Libya, banned U.S. imports of Libyan refined petroleum² products, and impounded some $1.3 billion in Libyan assets.
At a news briefing, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the move is a further reward for Libya's decision last December to renounce³ weapons of mass destruction:
"This step is taken in response to actions that Libya has taken over the past nine months to address concerns by the international community about its weapons of mass destruction programs," he said.
Libya began secret negotiations⁴ with the United States and Britain more than a year ago, climaxing⁵ with the December announcement that it was giving up efforts to develop chemical and nuclear weapons, and long-range missiles to deliver them.
The Bush administration lifted an initial set of sanctions against Libya in April. But even after Monday's announcement, it will still remain subject to some U.S. sanctions stemming from its continued presence on the State Department's list of state supporters of terrorism.
U.S. officials say they believe Libya long ago ceased active involvement in acts of terrorism, but they add the country has lingering ties with radical⁶ groups impeding⁷ Middle East peace efforts and fomenting⁸ instability in North Africa.
The latest U.S. action is expected to open the way to Libya's payment of another one billion dollar installment⁹ of compensation to families of the 270 people killed in the downing of Pan Am flight 103 over Scotland in 1988.
Seeking to end its international isolation¹⁰, Libya last year admitted responsibility for the airliner¹¹ bombing last year and agreed to a phased $2.7 billion compensation payout, linked to the lifting of sanctions.
It had threatened to withhold¹² the latest payout unless more sanctions were removed this week.
The Bush administration has depicted¹³ Libya's surrender of banned weapons as a major diplomatic achievement. The United States earlier this year re-established diplomatic links with Libya and opened a sub-embassy-level liaison¹⁴ office in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
David Gollust, VOA News, the United Nations.

注释：
sanction制裁
barring不包括
compensation payment 补偿金，赔偿金
Pan Am flight 美国泛美航空飞机
layer 层, 等级
petroleum product成品油
impound扣押, 没收
charter 租用、承包飞机
assets资产
weapons of mass destruction 大规模杀伤性武器
long-range missile 远程导弹
initial 最初的，最早的
subject to 服从，屈就
stem 阻止
impede 阻止
foment 煽动
withhold 拒付
diplomatic外交的
liaison office 联络处

1 revoking   

v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There are no provisions for revoking the prize. 没有撤销获奖的规定。 来自互联网
• The decision revoking the patent right shall be registered and announced by the Patent Office. 撤销专利权的决定，由专利局登记和公告。 来自互联网

2 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

3 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

4 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。

5 climaxing   

vt.& vi.达到顶点（climax的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

6 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

7 impeding   

a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的

参考例句：

• Fallen rock is impeding the progress of rescue workers. 坠落的石头阻滞了救援人员的救援进程。
• Is there sufficient room for the kiosk and kiosk traffic without impeding other user traffic? 该环境下是否有足够的空间来摆放信息亭？信息亭是否会妨碍交通或者行走？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 fomenting   

v.激起，煽动（麻烦等）( foment的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They accused him of fomenting political unrest. 他们指控他煽动政治动乱。
• Three sailors were fomenting a mutiny on the ship. 三个水手正在船上煽动叛变。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。

10 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

11 airliner   

n.客机，班机

参考例句：

• The pilot landed the airliner safely.驾驶员使客机安全着陆。
• The passengers were shepherded across the tarmac to the airliner.旅客们被引导走过跑道去上飞机。

12 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

13 depicted   

描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• Other animals were depicted on the periphery of the group. 其他动物在群像的外围加以修饰。
• They depicted the thrilling situation to us in great detail. 他们向我们详细地描述了那激动人心的场面。

14 liaison   

n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通

参考例句：

• She acts as a liaison between patients and staff.她在病人与医护人员间充当沟通的桥梁。
• She is responsible for liaison with researchers at other universities.她负责与其他大学的研究人员联系。