2006年VOA标准英语-Rice Says No Ceasefire With Armed Hezbollah

By Paula Wolfson
White House
16 July 2006

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she wants to see a sustainable ceasefire in the Middle East. But , the Bush administration says peace will not come, as long as Hezbollah remains¹ an armed threat to Israel.

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Condoleezza Rice at G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 16, 2006
  
Secretary of State Rice says the United States obviously wants the violence to end. But she says a ceasefire that does not address the root causes will not hold.

She says any ceasefire that leaves Hezbollah with the ability to launch rocket attacks on Israel, and opens the door to Iranian and Syrian interference will accomplish little.

"And we will be right back here, perhaps, in a worse circumstance, because the terrorists will assume that nobody is willing to take on what has been a very clear assault, now, on the progress that is being made by moderate forces in the Middle East," she said.

She delivered that message in St. Petersburg, Russia, on the sidelines of the Group of Eight Summit, and repeated it later on American television.

In a series of interviews on several broadcast networks, she said, now is the time to bolster² support for moderate forces in the Middle East, so they can take a strong stand against the extremists.

On the FOX News Sunday program, she said extremist elements are alarmed by progress toward democracy in the region.

"They believe we are going to succeed, and they are determined³ to stop it and we are determined that they will not," she said.

Rice was asked if she might engage in shuttle diplomacy⁴ in the Middle East.

"Well, I am thinking about it, as you might imagine, and assessing it every day, and certainly stand ready to do so, when I believe I can make a difference," she said.

A prominent member of the Senate told CNN's Late Edition program that the Bush administration should send a high-level envoy⁵ to the Middle East, as soon as possible. California Democrat⁶ Diane Feinstein suggested former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton.

"I think it needs hands on," she said. "And I think that is advisable. I think there are people who know this situation backwards⁷ and forwards and could be of help."

Appearing on the same program, Russia's foreign minister talked at length about the situation in the Middle East, which has overshadowed the first G-8 summit hosted by his country. Sergei Lavrov said it is wrong to assign blame, and too simplistic to say Hezbollah provoked the crisis, and Israel overreacted.

"A lack of progress for many decades in implementing⁸ the Security Council resolutions on the comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict is the cause of all crises, which happen in the Middle East," he said.

A short time earlier, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, took to the airwaves in Lebanon, and warned of even more bloodshed to come.

In remarks simulcast on CNN, he said Israel is ignorant of Hezbollah's military capacity, and the Israelis should brace⁹ themselves for - what he called - a surprise.

1 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。

2 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

3 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。

4 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

7 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

8 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

9 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。