2006年VOA标准英语-Saudi Arabia Calls for More US Involvement in M

By Meredith Buel
Washington
04 October 2006

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, Prince Turki al-Faisal, is urging the Bush administration to get more involved in the Middle East peace process and to persuade Israel to resume negotiations¹ with the Palestinians. 

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Turki Al-Faisal    
  
Prince Turki told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the United States must reform its policies toward the Middle East.

The Saudi ambassador says the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be resolved before other problems in the region can be dealt with.

"All of us must recognize that the U.S. standing² in public opinion in our part of the world is at its lowest ever," he said. "Therefore, something must be done to reverse that issue.  In our view, the only way you can do that is by solving the problems.  The core problem in the Middle East for the last 50 years has been the Palestinian-Israeli dispute.  You solve that problem and then you can go on and solve other problems in the area."

Condoleezza Rice  
  
Prince Turki's remarks came as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is touring the Middle East to talk with Arab and Israeli leaders about renewing the peace process.

President Bush says he is committed to a Middle East settlement that consists of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security.

Mr. Bush says helping³ the parties reach that goal is one of the great objectives of his presidency⁴.

Moderate Arab leaders have been pressing the United States to help revive the long-stalled negotiations, something the Saudi ambassador says will help all countries in the region.

"I think any friend of Israel, particularly the United States, would do Israel a world of good if it convinced it to enter into the peace process with the Palestinians," Prince Turki said. "Something that will inevitably⁵ bring an end to all of the things that all of us face in the Middle East, whether it is terrorism, whether it is land-grabbing, whether it is targeted killings⁶, whether it is demolition⁷ of homes and uprooting⁸ of citizens on both sides, we see no problem with the United States having a special relationship with Israel.  Rather we hope that because of that special relationship that America can do something about convincing Israel to come forward and be more, how shall I put it, more contributive to the peace efforts."

The United States cut aid to the Palestinians after the militant⁹ group Hamas won elections and formed a government earlier this year.

The United States and other countries have labeled Hamas, which has carried out numerous suicide bombings against Israelis, as a terrorist organization.

Members of the Middle East Quartet - the United States, Europe, the United Nations and Russia - say Hamas must recognize Israel, renounce¹⁰ violence and accept earlier agreements between the Palestinians and the Jewish state.

Hamas has rejected those conditions.

Prince Turki says relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States "are stronger than they have ever been," and are bound by much more than oil.

He cited the war on terrorism, trade, Middle East stability and military cooperation as pillars of the current relationship.

The ambassador warned critics in the United States against laying down "dictums" for political and social reform in the kingdom, saying change will come in accordance with Saudi traditions and culture. 

1 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。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

5 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

6 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

7 demolition   

n.破坏,毁坏,毁坏之遗迹

参考例句：

• The church has been threatened with demolition for years. 这座教堂多年来一直面临拆毀的威胁。
• The project required the total demolition of the old bridge. 该项目要求将老桥完全拆毁。

8 uprooting   

n.倒根，挖除伐根v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的现在分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• He is hard at work uprooting wild grass in the field. 他正在田里辛苦地芟夷呢。 来自互联网
• A storm raged through the village, uprooting trees and flattening crops. 暴风雨袭击了村庄，拔起了树木，吹倒了庄稼。 来自互联网

9 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

10 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。