2007年VOA标准英语-Kosovars in Divided Enclaves Anxiously Await UN

By Barry Wood
Mitrovica
25 January 2007

February 2 the United Nations proposal for the future status of the disputed territory of Kosovo will be delivered to Serbian and Kosovar authorities. VOA's Barry Wood reports from the city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo that people in this divided city are eager to see what that proposal will say about local self-government in areas populated by minority Serbs.

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Bridge dividing ethnic Albanian and Serbian parts of Mitrovica

The mood for now is relaxed in Mitrovica. The bridge that divides the ethnic Albanian and Serbian parts of the town is open and French soldiers from the NATO-led peacekeeping force for the most part are out of sight.

In the Albanian southern part of Mitrovica people fear that the U.N. proposal may give the minority Serbs too much autonomy and preserve their links to Belgrade. In the north, Serbs worry that the proposal will lead Kosovo toward independence.

Dragisha Milovic, the Serbian mayor of the village of Zvecan, says if Kosovo becomes independent Serbs living in ethnic Albanian-populated areas in the south will flee north.

"Any attempt to break ties between Serbs here in Kosovo and Metohjia [tied] with their motherland Serbia will inevitably² lead to people fleeing. People will move out [with independence]," said Milovic.

Less than 10 percent of Kosovo's two million inhabitants are Serbs. Half of them live in enclaves scattered³ throughout the territory. Srboljub Milenkovic, a member of an advisory⁴ council in North Mitrovica, is more optimistic. He believes there will be cooperation between Serbs and Albanians, and dismisses the possibility that the government in Belgrade would ever order Serbs out of the southern enclaves.

"No, really. I can't even imagine that situation [occurring]," Milenkovic said.

Ylber Hysa is an ethnic Albanian member of the Kosovo legislative⁵ assembly and a member of the panel negotiating future status. He says the departure of the Serbian minority or secession by the north would be a huge setbacks for Kosovo. He says he hopes the Serbs will cooperate with the government in Pristina.

"If not, I think everyone will pay the price - Serbs, us, and the international community that has invested so much over these 15 years to transform this [troubled] part of Europe into a real [democratic] Europe," he said.

American diplomat⁶ Gerard Gallucci, who is the U.N. administrator⁷ in Mitrovica, says all of the territory's leaders know that the U.N. proposal is intended to lead to Kosovo independence. He says the proposal is unlikely to satisfy either Albanians or Serbs.

"I think everybody who had easy alternatives outside Kosovo has left already," he said. "I think the people who are left here don't have easy alternatives. And everybody, whether you're Serb or Albanian, certainly in this part of Kosovo, wants the same things in the future. They want peace, security and prosperity."

Gallucci said he is optimistic that in the coming weeks, people will choose to stay and give the status proposals a chance to succeed.

1 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。

2 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

3 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

4 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

5 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

6 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

7 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。