Pakistan Welcomes Peace Pledge by New Indian Leader

 

Ayaz Gul

Pakistan is welcoming Indian prime minister-designate Manmohan Singh's stated intention to continue the peace process with Islamabad.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry¹ spokesman, Masood Khan, says his government believes the first statements by India's new leader are constructive² and forward-looking in terms of trying to resolve bilateral³ disputes - including the territory of Kashmir.
"The statements that have been given by Mr. Manmohan Singh are positive and upbeat," he said. "I think his pronouncements constitute a good beginning and it is a good omen⁴ for the continuity of the process that we have started already. And I think that this provides the basis for the continuity of the process of dialogue."
Mr. Singh's Congress Party scored a parliamentary election upset, defeating India's Hindu nationalists who had engaged in serious peace overtures⁶ with Pakistan in the past 14 months. Prime Minister-designate Singh promised to continue seeking friendly relations with Pakistan.
India and Pakistan are due to discuss nuclear weapons confidence building measures in New Delhi next week (May 25-26). Mr. Khan says those talks are on schedule and a Pakistani delegation⁷ of experts will be leaving for India on Monday.
"There has been no disruption," he said. "There was some uncertainty⁸ about these talks because of the transition in India. But these talks are on track and we hope that other meetings would also be on track."
The upcoming nuclear talks are meant to reduce the risks of non-conventional war between India and Pakistan. They are part of a peace plan agreed to by the outgoing government of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
The unresolved territorial⁹ dispute over Kashmir has triggered two of the three wars India and Pakistan have fought since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. The divided region is the main source of bilateral tensions.

注释：
Pakistan [7pB:kis5tB:n] n. 巴基斯坦（南亚国家）
Islamabad [is5lB:mEbB:d] 伊斯兰堡（巴基斯坦首都）
bilateral [bai5lAtErEl] adj. 双边的
dispute [dis5pju:t] n. 争端
territory [5teritEri] n. 版图，地域
Kashmir [5kAFmiE] n. 克什米尔地区
upbeat [5Qpbi:t] adj. 乐观的
pronouncement [prE5naJnsmEnt] n. 声明
parliamentary [7pB:lE5mentEri] adj. 议会的
upset [Qp5set] n. 颠覆
Hindu nationalists  印度民族主义者
overture⁵ [5EuvEtjuE] n. 建议
delegation [7deli5^eiFEn] n. 代表团
territorial [7teri5tC:riEl] adj. 领土的
trigger [5tri^E] vt. 引起，触发
tension [5tenFEn] n. 紧张状态

 

 

1 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。

2 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

3 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

4 omen   

n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示

参考例句：

• The superstitious regard it as a bad omen.迷信的人认为那是一种恶兆。
• Could this at last be a good omen for peace?这是否终于可以视作和平的吉兆了？

5 overture   

n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉

参考例句：

• The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
• His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。

6 overtures   

n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲

参考例句：

• Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句

7 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

8 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

9 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。