2007年VOA标准英语-EU Officials Have Tough Trade Message for White

By Teri Schultz
Brussels
07 January 2007

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and other top commissioners² are heading to Washington D.C. to urge the Bush Administration to make compromises necessary to successfully conclude the stalled Doha Round of world trade talks. Teri Schultz reports from Brussels.

 
Jose Manuel Barroso (File photo)
It is not by chance these top European diplomats³ are starting off 2007 with a visit Monday to Washington D.C. They want a global trade agreement, they want it now and they believe the Bush Administration is standing⁴ in the way.

The five-year-long "Doha Round" of world trade talks broke down last summer, primarily over subsidies⁵ to American farmers, which the U.S. refused to cut to levels agreeable to Europe. Private negotiating has nudged the issue forward.

 
EU Trade Commissioner¹ Peter Mandelson
Peter Power, a spokesman for EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, says the delegation⁶ will urge Mr. Bush to make the deal now.

"Our pitch to him will be that this is a very important moment, a very important moment that should be grasped," said Peter Power. "Real leadership should be shown and that there is the makings of the deal on the table."

The United States has said other countries have not made sufficient concessions⁷ to warrant a steeper reduction in agricultural subsidies. Power disagrees.

"The U.S. needs to come to the table with a genuine and serious offer in terms of what it can do in this area," he said. "

The Europeans are also hoping for support from Democrats⁸ now in control of Congress. EU Commission spokesman Peter Power says the commission sees the Democratic Party as friendlier than the Republicans toward liberalizing markets and services worldwide.

"It's quite clear that the Democrats are by and large multilateralist," noted⁹ Peter Power. "We firmly believe they are genuinely committed to it and it's a question of tapping into that political good will."

EU officials say the delegation may meet with the new Democratic leadership ahead of their meeting with the president.

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 commissioners   

n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官

参考例句：

• The Commissioners of Inland Revenue control British national taxes. 国家税收委员管理英国全国的税收。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The SEC has five commissioners who are appointed by the president. 证券交易委员会有５名委员，是由总统任命的。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 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》

6 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

7 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。

8 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。