Pakistan, India Agree to Continue Peace Process

 

Ayaz Gul

Pakistans President Pervez Musharraf says that in a telephone conversation with India's new prime minister, they have agreed to continue a peace process aimed at resolving bilateral¹ disputes.

President Musharraf told a gathering² of Pakistani students in the capital that he spoke³ to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by telephone for 20 minutes late Sunday to discuss the peace process that the previous Indian government initiated⁴ a year ago.

"I am very glad it was an extremely positive message that he gave me, a desire to have, to resolve all disputes with Pakistan and to have an excellent relationship with Pakistan," he said. "We reciprocate⁵ that feeling. I did. This is the way forward. We want to resolve our disputes and the core issue is Kashmir, of course, we must resolve it."

The territorial⁶ Kashmir dispute has strained bilateral relations for more than five decades. It has triggered two of the three wars India and Pakistan have fought since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. Both sides claim the divided region, which remains⁷ a main source of tensions.

The two nuclear-capable countries agreed earlier this year agreed on a framework to settle outstanding issues. They were due to discuss steps to reduce risks of a nuclear conflict this week in New Delhi, but those discussions have been postponed⁸ at the request of Indias new government.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Ministry⁹ spokesman Masood Khan said there is no concern in Islamabad over the postponement¹⁰ of the nuclear talks. He says leaders of the new Indian government have vowed¹² to continue the peace process with Pakistan.

"The statements that have been made by Manmohan Singh, the new Prime Minister of India, and the new foreign minister, are very encouraging," said Mr. Khan. "They have given strong signals that they would stick to the timetable for talks that they would continue to cooperate with us in sustaining the peace process."

The Pakistani spokesman says that both India and Pakistan need to maintain the momentum¹³ of confidence-building steps and dialogue.
注释：
bilateral [bai5lAtErEl] adj. 双边的
Pakistani [7pB:kis5tB:ni] adj. 巴基斯坦的
reciprocate [ri5siprEkeit] v. 报答
Kashmir [5kAFmiE] n. 克什米尔
territorial [7teri5tC:riEl] adj. 领土的
strain [strein] vt. 使紧张
trigger [5tri^E] vt. 引发，引起
framework [5freimwE:k] n. 构架，结构
Islamabad [is5lB:mEbB:d] n. 伊斯兰堡（巴基斯坦首都）
postponement [pEust5pEunmEnt] n. 延期，延缓
vow¹¹ [vau] v. 发誓
sustain [sEs5tein] vt. 维持，持续

 

 

1 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。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

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。

4 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

5 reciprocate   

v.往复运动；互换；回报，酬答

参考例句：

• Although she did not reciprocate his feelings, she did not discourage him.尽管她没有回应他的感情，她也没有使他丧失信心。
• Some day I will reciprocate your kindness to me.总有一天我会报答你对我的恩德。

6 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。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

9 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。

10 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

11 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

12 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

13 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。