2006年VOA标准英语-Bush to Visit India, Pakistan

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
24 January 2006
 

President Bush meets with Pakistani PM Shaukat Aziz, in the Oval Office at the White House  
  
President Bush says he will visit India and Pakistan in March. The president made the announcement after talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

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The president told Prime Minister Aziz he is looking forward to the visit.

"I will be traveling to India and Pakistan in March and I want to thank you for your invitation and your hospitality in advance," said Mr. Bush.

The announcement was expected, as the president has made no secret of his desire to go to the region. The Pakistani prime minister said he will be welcome.

"Because we think that this is an important visit for building our relations further between our two countries and serving the cause of peace in the world," he said.

The trip is in the planning stages, and the White House is not likely to release the dates or the itinerary¹ for some time. But it is already clear President Bush will have a full agenda for his talks, starting with the war on terrorism.

In the public comments after their meeting, both the president and the prime minister stressed their joint² commitment to fight the terrorist threat. President Bush praised their anti-terror alliance.

"I think the relationship with Pakistan is a vital relationship for the United States and I want to thank the prime minister and thank the president for working closely with us on a variety of issues," added Mr. Bush.

The two men avoided any reference to the recent U.S. missile attack against reported al-Qaida targets in a village in eastern Pakistan that took at least 18 lives.

The attack touched off demonstrations³ across Pakistan and Prime Minister Aziz has complained that his government was not notified in advance. But in his comments to reporters at the White House, he downplayed differences between Islamabad and Washington.

"Our coalition⁴ with the United States in fighting terrorism is very important to all of the world and all of civil society," he noted⁵.

Just before he went to the White House, Prime Minister Aziz got some welcome news from U.S. trade officials. They said they have determined⁶ after a thorough review that Pakistan is clamping down on the producers of fake CDs and DVDs and no longer runs the risk of having important U.S. trade benefits under the GSP - or Generalized System of Preferences withdrawn⁷.

1 itinerary   

n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划

参考例句：

• The two sides have agreed on the itinerary of the visit.双方商定了访问日程。
• The next place on our itinerary was Silistra.我们行程的下一站是锡利斯特拉。

2 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。

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。