2006年VOA标准英语-ASEAN Losing Patience with Burma

By Heda Bayron
Kuala Lumpur
24 July 2006
 

Ong Keng Yong (file photo)  
  
Ong Keng Yong, the secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, says Burma's refusal to allow democratic reform has damaged ASEAN's credibility. As he prepared for the start this week of the ASEAN Regional Forum¹ in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the secretary-general told VOA's Heda Bayron that ASEAN is losing patience with Burma.

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BAYRON: "…Some ASEAN members have been very vocal² about Burma…criticizing Burma and saying they're very disappointed with what's going on there. How do you think ASEAN will move forward on this issue?"

ONG: "…Basically what we are seeing in the last month or two is the realization³ that there is very little that the Myanmar side, which you call Burma, will offer to ASEAN. ASEAN is concerned about the impact of this issue…on our credibility and standing⁴, because the world seems to think that ASEAN should be the one tackling this issue and bringing about some positive outcome…We took the line that…we would like to engage the Myanmar side to do more. So far the result has not been to our satisfaction, and therefore you see a sort of a hardening of the voices in ASEAN about the situation in Myanmar…We want to impress upon the Myanmar government that so far, our diplomatic, polite way has not been reciprocated⁵ by the authorities in Yangon, and we expect the Myanmar authorities, as a member of ASEAN, to be more responsive to the damage done to ASEAN by the Myanmar issue."

BAYRON: "Myanmar has not seen this kind of reaction from ASEAN, so what is their likely response?"

ONG: "Well they are very good poker⁶ players. They are keeping up a straight face. And the one thing…is that we don't want them to walk away from the table. Because if they walk away from the table, then whatever little opening we have to influence a certain outcome in Myanmar would be gone. And this is not an empty threat, because as you know Myanmar, they are quite accustomed to walking out of international organizations and other kinds of forums⁷ if they feel that the heat is too strong on them. So the preoccupation of the ASEAN foreign ministers in the last few years has always been to engage the Myanmar side constructively⁸, without giving the excuse for them to walk away from the table…It's a fine balance. But the foreign minister of Myanmar…has been digging in and maintaining that…they should not be subjected to quote, unquote, 'pressure from ASEAN or anybody else.' But we hope that they would accept the argument that Myanmar has affected⁹ ASEAN's activities and our agenda, and we need to find a way to take this off the limelight, so to speak…"

BAYRON: "Some are asking, why now? Why is ASEAN putting the pressure (on) now, when Burma has been a member since '97? It's been nearly ten years."

ONG: "Well, it's possibly because of Myanmar's own doing. In the first instance they explained to us five years ago that they have their own road map… towards national reconciliation¹⁰ and democratization of their country. Four years ago they told us the road map would be implemented¹¹ in this manner. Three years ago they said it is on course. Two years ago they said we are still on course but some elements have been put back. And then now, we don't know what happened to the road map. So the sense of some of our foreign ministers is that we have been taken for a ride…So, I suppose the explanation that some of our member countries will give you for the perceived hardening of their stand is that we have given a lot of time for this situation to be handled by the government in Myanmar…But the impression given…so far, is that they are not getting what they want, and they are really quote, unquote, 'losing their patience.'"

"…(the) ASEAN habit of working together is never to be confrontational¹² and make things difficult for any member country. But I sense that they are really unhappy over what they see to be a leading up the garden path, and now there's no action, and they're left high and dry, so to speak."

BAYRON: "…You yourself mentioned a few months ago that… perhaps we should engage China and India into this issue. To what extent can these two Asian powers…change the equation there in Burma?"

ONG: "We believe that the people that matter to Myanmar, apart from ASEAN, would be the two countries that are very significant in their economy and in their day-to-day life, namely two neighboring countries called China and India…And if there is a chance to get things going in Myanmar, the guy in Myanmar would probably listen to those people who matter to them, and perhaps with the help of…India and China, something can develop."

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

3 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 reciprocated   

v.报答，酬答( reciprocate的过去式和过去分词 )；（机器的部件）直线往复运动

参考例句：

• Her passion for him was not reciprocated. 她对他的热情没有得到回应。
• Their attraction to each other as friends is reciprocated. 作为朋友，他们相互吸引着对方。 来自辞典例句

6 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

7 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

8 constructively   

ad.有益的，积极的

参考例句：

• Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom. 如此富有意义地利用业余时间来进行收藏，会使人怡然自得，无暇烦恼。
• The HKSAR will continue to participate constructively in these activities. 香港会继续积极参与这些活动。

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

11 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

12 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网