2006年VOA标准英语-Georgian President Blasts Russian Role in Abkha

By David Gollust
United Nations
22 September 2006

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, in a U.N. General Assembly speech Friday, accused Russia of what he termed a "gangster¹ occupation" of the disputed Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  Tensions over the nominal² Russian "peacekeeping" presence in the two areas have been rising.

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Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili addresses the 61st sesssion of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters

The dispute over the two breakaway provinces, where the Georgian government says Moscow is actively³ supporting pro-Russian separatists, has been simmering for years, but largely without much global attention.

In a sharply worded General Assembly speech, President Saakashvili said the territories are under what he termed a "gangster occupation" by the Russian peacekeepers, who have been there for more than a decade.

He said Moscow's hope is that the international community will lose interest in the two areas, and  "reward the results of ethnic⁴ cleansing⁵."

The confrontation⁶ over the disputed areas became more acute recently after Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that Moscow might support independence for Serbia's U.N.-administered Kosovo province if Abkhazia and South Ossetia were allowed to separate from Georgia.

In his U.N. speech, President Saakashvili bristled⁷ at the idea, calling it deeply immoral⁸ and an example of 19th Century politics.

"I want to remind all of you that my country's territories, just like yours, are not for sale and exchange," he said.  "And any hint of a precedent⁹ for Abkhazia and South Ossetia is therefore both inappropriate and reckless. The foundation of modern peace and security in Europe is based directly upon the very principle of respect for territorial¹⁰ integrity and sovereignty.  Indeed, it is the cornerstone of the contemporary international order."

The Georgian leader said if Moscow persists in making what he termed "this dangerous linkage¹¹" and undermines the existing order, the impact would be far-reaching and open a "Pandora's box" of separatist conflict not only in the Caucuses¹², but in many parts of the world.

Moscow has not endorsed¹³ independence for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but long-running talks with Georgia on a political settlement have stalled.

At a meeting on the sidelines of the General Assembly Thursday, NATO foreign ministers endorsed stronger ties between the alliance and Georgia, which has made clear its aspirations¹⁴ for eventual¹⁵ NATO membership.

NATO Secretary-General Japp de Hoop¹⁶ Scheffer said there would be a more intense dialogue with the Tbilisi government, and said it is of great importance to find a peaceful solution to the territorial disputes.

Moscow reacted Friday, with the Russian Foreign Ministry¹⁷ saying that if Georgian entry into NATO came about, it would seriously affect Russian interests and have a negative impact on the fragile situation in the Caucuses.

1 gangster   

n.匪徒，歹徒，暴徒

参考例句：

• The gangster's friends bought off the police witness.那匪徒的朋友买通了警察方面的证人。
• He is obviously a gangster,but he pretends to be a saint.分明是强盗，却要装圣贤。

2 nominal   

adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的

参考例句：

• The king was only the nominal head of the state. 国王只是这个国家名义上的元首。
• The charge of the box lunch was nominal.午餐盒饭收费很少。

3 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 cleansing   

n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词

参考例句：

• medicated cleansing pads for sensitive skin 敏感皮肤药物清洗棉
• Soap is not the only cleansing agent. 肥皂并不是唯一的清洁剂。

6 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

7 bristled   

adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• They bristled at his denigrating description of their activities. 听到他在污蔑他们的活动，他们都怒发冲冠。
• All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先，大家都气得怒发冲冠。

8 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。

9 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

10 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

11 linkage   

n.连接；环节

参考例句：

• In their monographic treatment of linkage,they have emphasized this especially.他们在论连锁的专题文章中特别强调了这点。
• Occasionally,problems with block inheritance or linkage are encountered.有时会遇到区段遗传或连锁问题。

12 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

13 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

15 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

16 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。

17 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。