2006年VOA标准英语-US Defends Ethiopian Action in Somalia, But Urg

By David Gollust
State Department
26 December 2006

The United States said Tuesday Ethiopia has genuine security concerns in Somalia and has intervened at the request of that country's legitimate¹ governing authority. But the State Department called on the Addis Ababa government to show restraint and urged the Somali parties to return to peace talks. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

 
Transitional Federal Government soldiers patrol in Burhakaba, Somalia, 26 Dec 2006
The United States had previously² declined to confirm Ethiopian intervention³ in neighboring Somalia.

But in the wake of air strikes against Somali targets since Monday acknowledged by Ethiopia, the State Department is defending the action as a response to aggression⁴, and says Addis Ababa has acted at the request of Somalia's legitimate administration, based in Baidoa.

In a talk with reporters, acting⁵ State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos urged restraint by Ethiopia and a resumption of peace talks between the transitional administration and the Islamic Courts movement.

He said, "Ethiopia has genuine security concerns with regard to developments in Somalia and has provided support at the request of the legitimate governing authority, the Transitional Federal institutions."

"We, the U.S., have urged, and continue to urge the Ethiopian government to exercise maximum restraint in intervening or responding to developments in Somalia and to assure the protection of civilians⁶. However no Somali party should use external actors as an excuse to avoid further dialogue," he continued.

 
A destroyed truck belonging to Islamic Courts soldiers lies beside a road at Burhakaba, Somalia, 26 Dec 2006
The spokesman said Ethiopia started its military operations in Somalia in response to aggression by the Islamic militiamen, who have been on the offensive against the Baidoa administration despite a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted three weeks ago.

That measure called on the Islamists to cease further military expansion, while authorizing⁷ an East African protection and training force to shore up the embattled Baidoa authority.

Gallegos said the United States is concerned by the deteriorating⁸ security conditions and the humanitarian⁹ impact of the latest Somali fighting, and is working with partners in the international Somalia Contact Group to urge all Somali parties to cease further hostile action.

He said U.S. ambassadors in East Africa are making similar appeals to host governments, and said the United States does not believe the situation can be resolved on the battlefield.

The United States sponsored the December 6 U.N. resolution on Somalia, under which Ugandan troops would supply the core of the East African protection force.

The White House said President Bush telephoned Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Tuesday to discuss Horn-of-Africa tensions and to thank him for supporting the envisaged¹⁰ mission.

The resolution eased the U.N. arms embargo¹¹ against Somalia to permit introduction of the force, but was otherwise designed to discourage intervention by Ethiopia and by its regional rival Eritrea, which has given aid to the Islamic Courts.

Spokesman Gallegos said the United States continues to support the terms of Resolution 17-25, though its implementation¹² has lagged and may be further set back by Ethiopia's open military role.

1 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

4 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 authorizing   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Letters of Marque: Take letters from a warning friendly power authorizing privateering. 私掠许可证：从某一个国家获得合法抢劫的证书。
• Formal phavee completion does not include authorizing the subsequent phavee. 阶段的正式完成不包括核准随后的阶段。

8 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

9 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

10 envisaged   

想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
• Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。

11 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

12 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。