2006年VOA标准英语-G8 Summit Adopts Sweeping Action Plan

By Lisa McAdams
St. Petersburg
17 July 2006
 
Group of Eight leaders have adopted a wide-ranging plan of action to address world problems; including concern over Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs. But the ministers also found their attention diverted by events in the Middle East.

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G8 summit leaders gather for group photo   
  
On the third and final day of the summit, ministers from the world's richest nations have adopted a final communiqué outlining a plan of action on issues including global energy security and the fight against global terrorism and AIDS. But the deteriorating¹ and fast-moving situation in Israel and Lebanon definitely took center stage.

The non-binding G8 Statement on the Middle East, adopted by consensus², says the most important thing now is for all sides to take urgent measures to end military action.

The leaders of Russia, the United States, Britain, Italy, France, Germany, Canada and Japan also backed a decision to return concerns about Iran's nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council. The ministers' communiqué warns Iran that failure to respond, or a negative reply, will cause the Security Council to resume work on an Iran resolution that could include punitive³ sanctions.

On North Korea, the ministers condemned⁴ the country's recent missile launches and urged Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programs. The G8 leaders also called for North Korea to resume the six-party talks that have been frozen since the beginning of this year.

The agreement to curb⁵ major infectious diseases, the third of the priority topics set by the G-8, calls for international cooperation in surveillance and monitoring, as well as intensifying⁶ scientific research and public awareness⁷ campaigns. It also urges improved access to prevention and treatment for those in need.

In a briefing with reporters, Summit Host President Vladimir Putin expressed satisfaction with the results of the summit.

"All the aims which we set have been reached. All the documents which we planned to adopt have been adopted, virtually without any changes," he said.

President Putin also said he had fulfilled his promise to allow participation⁸ by Russian civil society groups, who say their views are increasingly being silenced in today's Russia.

G8 ministers also agreed to strengthen cooperation against global terrorism and pledged to contain incidents of high-level government corruption⁹.

Meanwhile, assistance to Africa, which topped last year's summit, was more or less sidelined this year, aside from a session attended by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and the African Union. Secretary Annan says there has been progress since the 2005 G8 Summit in Scotland, but he adds that the task is still far from complete.

This year's summit did not see the same type of violence associated with street protests at past G8 meetings. Anti-globalization activists¹⁰ attribute that to, what they say, was heavy handed Russian security that relegated¹¹ them to a stadium far from the summit site.

1 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。

2 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

3 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

4 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

5 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

6 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

7 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

8 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

9 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 relegated   

v.使降级( relegate的过去式和过去分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类

参考例句：

• She was then relegated to the role of assistant. 随后她被降级做助手了。
• I think that should be relegated to the garbage can of history. 我认为应该把它扔进历史的垃圾箱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》