2006年VOA标准英语-Saudi Foreign Minister Urges More Detainee

By Michael Bowman
White House
19 May 2006

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says he hopes the United States will release more prisoners from the detention¹ facility at the U.S. Naval² Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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Prince Saud al-Faisal 
  

Prince Saud al-Faisal says he hopes this week's transfer of 15 Saudi nationals from Guantanamo Bay will be followed by more detainee releases in the future, and expressed disdain³ for the controversial facility in general.

"We are very happy and pleased to have received the 15 Saudis that were released,” he said, “and we are hoping that the rest of them will be released as time goes on. And, if all prisoners leave the place, then I really do not care what happens to the place."

The foreign minister spoke⁴ with reporters after meeting with President Bush for what White House officials termed a "strategic dialogue" on counter-terrorism, energy and regional issues. Prince Saud al-Faisal said he discussed Iraq and Iran with Mr. Bush, and said he is convinced that the president is doing everything possible to bring security and stability to the Middle East region.

Earlier, the United Nations Committee Against Torture urged the United States to close the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, where suspected al-Qaida and Taleban prisoners have been held since late 2001. Some 460 detainees are currently being held at the facility, including scores of Saudi nationals.

Speaking with reporters, White House spokesman Tony Snow noted⁵ that President Bush has also expressed a desire to one day bring the detainee operation at Guantanamo Bay to a close. But he said the president is awaiting a decision by the U.S. Supreme⁶ Court as to whether the accused terrorists and combatants will face charges in a civilian⁷ or military court. In the meantime, Snow said, the United States treats all detainees humanely⁸.

U.S. military sources at Guantanamo Bay report a clash Thursday between detainees and guards, who were attempting to prevent a suicide bid. Prisoners are said to have used improvised⁹ weapons against the security personnel, who successfully intervened to keep a detainee from hanging himself. 

1 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

2 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

3 disdain   

n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑

参考例句：

• Some people disdain labour.有些人轻视劳动。
• A great man should disdain flatterers.伟大的人物应鄙视献媚者。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

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 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

8 humanely   

adv.仁慈地；人道地；富人情地；慈悲地

参考例句：

• Is the primary persona being treated humanely by the product? 该产品对待首要人物角色时是否有人情味？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In any event, China's interest in treating criminals more humanely has limits. 无论如何，中国对更人道地对待罪犯的兴趣有限。 来自互联网

9 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。