2006年VOA标准英语-No Breakthrough in Global Trade Talks

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
01 July 2006

A ministerial summit at the World Trade Organization has failed to make a breakthrough in deadlocked¹ global free trade negotiations². The so-called Doha Development Round, which is supposed to lift millions of people out of poverty, remains³ in crisis.

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More than 50 trade ministers are packing to go home, without a deal and with little prospect⁴ of one soon.

World Trade Organization, WTO, Director General, French Pascal Lamy, gestures as he speaks during a press conference in Geneva  
  
Director-General of the World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy said governments were unwilling⁵ to make the necessary concessions⁶ on three key issues - agricultural subsidies⁷, agricultural tariffs⁸ and industrial tariffs. "There has been no progress," he said. "And, therefore, we are in a crisis, and, I think we have to be lucid⁹ in admitting it."

However, Lamy said he believes the differences can be overcome. "It is a crisis, but the sense is that it remains doable," he said.

Lamy says the organization's 149 member governments know that time is running out for them to submit their legally binding¹⁰ pledges for lowering duties and subsidies. These must be presented by July 31. Otherwise, he warns, it will be too late to successfully conclude the Doha Development Round by the end of the year.

In the next few weeks, Lamy says, he will be shuttling to different capitals to get commitments from governments to lower farm subsidies and open their markets to goods.

The European Union and United States accuse each other of not going far enough in reducing subsidies. Developing countries are balking¹¹ at lowering their customs tariffs on consumer and industrial goods.

U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said Washington is disappointed at the outcome. She says the United States has made a good offer on cutting domestic subsidies and stands by it. "Just last October, the United States took a risk that is associated with leadership by putting on the table a major agricultural offer, expecting that it would be matched by similar bold moves by others. Regrettably, that has not happened yet," she said.

Nevertheless, she said, the United States remains committed and more determined¹² than ever to stay focused on achieving the promise of Doha.

The World Bank says a trade agreement would be worth at least $95 billion to the global economy.

1 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。

2 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。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

5 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

6 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

7 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

9 lucid   

adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的

参考例句：

• His explanation was lucid and to the point.他的解释扼要易懂。
• He wasn't very lucid,he didn't quite know where he was.他神志不是很清醒，不太知道自己在哪里。

10 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

11 balking   

n.慢行，阻行v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的现在分词 )；（指马）不肯跑

参考例句：

• He picked up a stone and let fly at the balking dog. 他捡起一块石头朝那狂吠的狗扔去。 来自互联网
• Democrats won't pass the plan without votes from rank-and-file Republicans andof-and-file Republicans were reportedly balking. 没有普通共和党议员的支持，民主党人无法通过这项方案——到周四晚间，据悉那些普通共和党人在阻挡（该计划）。 来自互联网

12 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。