欧洲－巴尔干依旧是欧洲和平的威胁

 

The Balkans Still a Threat to European Peace

 

Spring came with unrest in Kosovo in 2004. Acts of violence against Serbs and their property were a reminder¹ of the explosive situation there, with the population frustrated² over the status-quo and strong tensions between the Albanian majority and Serb minority.

 

Stephen Larrabee, director of European Security Issues at the RAND Corporation, says Kosovo was only the most severe of the problem in the Balkans last year.

 

Stephen Larrabee: I think first and the most important was probably the unrest in Kosovo because that underscored the degree to which Kosovo continues to remain unstable³.

 

Franz-Luthar Altman, director of the Balkans section at the German Institute of International and Security Affairs in Berlin, agrees. 

 

Franz-Luthar Altman: These clashes, these unfortunate happenings in Kosovo in march certainly marked a reversal of thinking in the heads of many westerners, thinking that the Kosovo issue is still unresolved.

 

Analysts⁴ agree that one of the most important issues - if not the most important - for the Balkans in 2005 will be consideration of the final status of Kosovo. The United Nations has governed Kosovo since 1999 after an 11-week NATO bombing campaign to halt Serb repression⁵ of the Albanian population. Kosovo's 90-percent ethnic⁶ Albanian majority demands independence, while Belgrade insists that it remain part of Serbia.

 

Martin Sletzinger, director of East European Studies at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, stresses the connection between security needs and European integration⁷ of the Balkans.

 

Martin Sletzinger: I think that the Europeans, at least some in Europe, feel that really the process of European integration and stability in the South-East Europe and the Balkans amounts to one and the same thing: the European integration process would underscore stability.

 

Stability is key says Mr. Sletzinger, now that a serious effort has started both within the European Union and in the Balkans to bring those states closer to Europe.

 

Martin Sletzinger: I think it is generally recognized among all these countries that that’s the future and that’s the content and the framework in which both their domestic development and international relations with each other and with America, and with the rest of Europe is posited⁸, or it’s based, it’s European integration.

 

Mr. Altman of the German Institute of International and Security Affairs says that after EU enlargement last year, the Balkans destiny is now Brussels, headquarters of the European Union.

 

Mr. Altman: I think the main development was the enlargement of May 1st, which only marginally touched also the Balkans, but which certainly will have some consequences because Slovenia is now a member of the EU, and it’s for sure that the next two countries or even three countries have been take pressures also joint⁹ the EU.

 

But Stephen Larrabee of RAND corporation says although the Balkan countries are headed toward the European Union, it is not going to happen any time soon. 

 

Stephen Larrabee: I don’t really see much prospect¹⁰ of any country becoming a member besides Croatia before another decade. The EU has a lot on its plate right now, including the ratification¹¹ of the constitution, integration of 10 new members and accession negotiations¹² with Turkey. So all these developments mean the EU faces has a lot of other issues, which is likely to make it much more difficult for them to push forward with the integration of western Balkans.

 

While Croatia has been invited to start negotiations for the membership in the European Union, Macedonia has signed a Stabilization¹³ and Association agreement that prepares countries for integration. For Albania, progress in negotiations for the same agreement depends very much on general elections to be held this year. Meanwhile, Montenegro is preparing for a referendum in 2006 for independence from the current loose federation¹⁴, the union of Serbia and Montenegro. That is yet one more contentious¹⁵ issue facing the Balkans in 2005.

 

注释：

unrest [5Qn5rest] n. 不安的状态，动荡的局面

Serb [sE:b] n. 塞尔维亚人

Albanian [Al5beinjEn] adj. 阿尔巴尼亚的

underscore [7QndE5skC:] vt. 强调

clash [klAF] n. 冲突

repression [ri5preFEn] n. 镇压

framework [5freimwE:k] n. 构架，框架，结构

ratification [7rAtifi5keiFEn] n. 批准，通过

Macedonia [7mAsi5dEunjE] n. 马其顿王国

1 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

2 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

6 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

7 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

8 posited   

v.假定，设想，假设( posit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Several writers have posited the idea of a universal consciousness. 有几个作者都假设存在普遍意识。 来自辞典例句
• All cash receipts should be recorded and de-posited daily. 所有的现金收据应该被每日记录和存放。 来自互联网

9 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

10 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

11 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。

12 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。

13 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

14 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

15 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。