2006年VOA标准英语-Indonesia and Britain Agree to Strengthen

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
30 March 2006
 
The leaders of Indonesia and Britain have agreed to boost cooperation in the fight against terrorism during a visit by the British prime minister to Jakarta.
 

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, left, speaks as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono listens during a joint¹ press conference   
  
British Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged to work more closely with Indonesia, the nation with the world's largest Muslim population, to strengthen bilateral² ties.

Mr. Blair met with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyno for an hour-long discussion and said both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation against terrorism and expand defense³ ties.

"We want in defense terms now to treat Indonesia as it should be, as our friend and our ally," he said. "In respect of counter-terrorism, both our countries have suffered from terrorism, both have a common interest in defeating it and we are going to work closely together to do that."

Indonesia has suffered a spate⁴ of terrorist bombings over the past several years blamed on the regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah. More than 200 Islamic extremists have been arrested for the bombings and several of them have been sentenced to death.

London was hit by bombings last July in two underground train stations and a bus that claimed 56 lives. Radical⁵ young British Muslims were blamed for the suicide attacks.

Indonesian President Yudhoyono says his government is working hard to prevent terrorist attacks, but says that extremism can be found in any country and must be dealt with in accordance with the law.

"In any country, in any society, in any religion, there are groups that are more radical, more extreme, more fundamental. And we have to deal with this group properly, wisely, justly," he said.

The leaders inaugurated the Indonesia-United Kingdom Islamic Advisory⁶ Group, composed of Muslim leaders from both nations aimed at promoting tolerance⁷ and countering extremism.

The British prime minister also met with five moderate Islamic leaders who urged him to withdraw British troops from Iraq.

Mr. Blair called the meeting with the Muslim leaders "inspiring and at times moving."

The prime minister took a grilling⁸ from students at an Islamic boarding school. They asked if he had tried to prevent the invasion of Iraq and told him to pressure Israel to bring peace to the Middle East.

His visit to Indonesia is the first by a British prime minister since 1985 and it is the last leg of a week-long tour that has taken him to Australia and New Zealand.

1 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。

2 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

5 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

6 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

7 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

8 grilling   

v.烧烤( grill的现在分词 )；拷问，盘问

参考例句：

• The minister faced a tough grilling at today's press conference. 部长在今天的记者招待会上受到了严厉的盘问。
• He's grilling out there in the midday sun. 他在外面让中午火辣辣的太阳炙烤着。 来自《简明英汉词典》