2006年VOA标准英语-US Signals Flexibility on Darfur Peace Force

By David Gollust
State Department
09 November 2006
 
The United States signaled flexibility¹ Thursday on the shape of a new international peacekeeping force for Darfur. The Sudanese government has adamantly³ opposed the introduction of a United Nations force for the war-torn western region.

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The Bush administration had long been pressing for deployment⁴ of a full-fledged blue-hatted United Nations peacekeeping mission for Darfur.

But it is now signaling its willingness to consider modifications⁵ in order to help overcome the Khartoum government's adamant² opposition⁶ to a U.N. force.

The U.N. Security Council approved the peacekeeping mission August 31 to help implement⁷ the Darfur peace accord reached in May, and to build on the African Union observer mission in the region which has been plagued by financial and logistical problems.

Though the Khartoum government of President Omar el-Bashir initially⁸ indicated it would accept a U.N. force for Darfur, it later balked⁹ at the idea - saying its introduction would be tantamount to an invasion or the re-colonization of Sudan.

To get around Sudanese objections, U.N. diplomats¹⁰ are now reported considering a so-called hybrid¹¹ force made up mainly of African troops but getting communications gear and logistical support through the United Nations.

Sean McCormack  
  

Asked about the idea at a news briefing, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States is open to alternate proposals for a force that would meet the objectives of the Security Council and actually be deployable¹².

He said, "We're looking at a variety of different options. But none of this compromises, nothing that we might do or might propose, would in any way compromise, in our view, the effectiveness of this force. It has to be an effective, capable force that has all the capabilities¹³ that you need, as well as a reliable source of funding."

The force envisioned in Security Council resolution 1706 would be three times as large as the present A.U. mission, which has seven thousand troops and is authorized¹⁴ to be in place only until the end of the year.

McCormack made clear that the United States, while not offering troops for Darfur peacekeeping, is willing to continue heavily underwriting such operations, which he said are critically needed.

On a related issue, the U.S. spokesman welcomed a reported offer by the Khartoum government Thursday to begin unconditional¹⁵ talks with the National Redemption Front, a Darfur rebel group that has refused to accept the May 5 peace agreement.

That accord, concluded in the Nigerian capital Abuja with U.S. mediation¹⁶ help, was signed by only one faction¹⁷ of another Darfur rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Movement, and has failed to stop the violence in the vast western Sudanese region.

The conflict erupted in 2003 when Darfur rebels took up arms against the Sudanese government. Authorities in Khartoum responded by backing Arab militias¹⁸ in a scorched-earth campaign against the rebels and their perceived supporters.

The United Nations estimates that the war has led to the deaths of more than 200,000 people and displaced more than two million.

1 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

2 adamant   

adj.坚硬的，固执的

参考例句：

• We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。
• Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。

3 adamantly   

adv.坚决地，坚定不移地，坚强不屈地

参考例句：

• "Come over here,"he told her adamantly. “到这边来，”他对她坚定地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His family were adamantly opposed to the marriage. 他的家人坚决反对这门亲事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

5 modifications   

n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变

参考例句：

• The engine was pulled apart for modifications and then reassembled. 发动机被拆开改型，然后再组装起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The original plan had undergone fairly extensive modifications. 原计划已经作了相当大的修改。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

9 balked   

v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑

参考例句：

• He balked in his speech. 他忽然中断讲演。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• They balked the robber's plan. 他们使强盗的计划受到挫败。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

12 deployable   

糟透的，可叹的，可悲的； 应受谴责的； 破旧的

参考例句：

• Here you can add and remove deployable languages and retail products. 您可以在这儿添加和删除可部署语言和零售产品。
• Deployable underwater Surveillance Systems-Analysis of Experimental Results. Part 3; Saclantcen rept. 可配置水下监视系统枣实验结果分析。第三部分。

13 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

14 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

15 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

16 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

17 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

18 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网