VOA常速英语2007年-White House Seeks Release of Pakistani Detainee

By Scott Stearns
Washington
09 November 2007

The Bush Administration is calling for an end to emergency rule in Pakistan and the release of political opponents. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, U.S. officials say they expect the country's president General Pervez Musharraf to keep his promise to hold general elections before mid-February.

U.S. National Security Council Spokesman Gordon Johndroe says President Bush joins the Pakistani people in their continued concern about the state of emergency and the curtailment¹ of basic freedoms.

"We urge Pakistan's authorities quickly to return to constitutional order and democratic norms," he said.  "All parties in Pakistan agree that free and fair elections are the best way out of the current situation there.  Free and fair elections require the lifting of the state of emergency. We therefore, continue to call for an early end to that state of emergency and the release of political party members and peaceful protesters who have been detained."

Johndroe told reporters in Texas that the White House is calling on all sides to refrain from violence and to work together to put Pakistan back on the path to democracy.

President Musharraf suspended the constitution Saturday and declared emergency rule.  He said Islamic militants² and their supporters in the judiciary were destabilizing Pakistan.

After nearly a week of international condemnation³, President Musharraf has agreed to move up general elections to mid-February and step down as head of the military once the country's Supreme⁴ Court ratifies⁵ his re-election.

Johndroe says those promises are notable, and President Bush expects the Pakistani leader to uphold those commitments.

The spokesman says the ultimate goal of America's approach is not to punish the people of Pakistan, but to help them get back on a path to democracy by holding free and fair elections once emergency rule is lifted. Johndroe says he thinks they are headed in that direction.

Pakistan is a key ally in America's war on terrorism.  Washington has given President Musharraf's government more than $10 billion since 2001 to fight al-Qaida terrorists and Taliban militants in the border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

1 curtailment   

n.缩减，缩短

参考例句：

• The usage based allocation method and the curtailment based allocation method are discuss. 在责任分摊法中，阐述了使用程度分摊法和裁减量分摊法。 来自互联网
• In transaction curtailment study, different transaction curtailment models using different types of curtailment objectives. 在交易裁减的研究中，不同的交易裁减模型采用了不同类型的裁减目标。 来自互联网

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 ratifies   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• American Revolutionary War: The United States ratifies a peace treaty with England. 1784年的今天，美国独立战争：美国批准了一项与英国的和平条约。 来自互联网
• Each Member which ratifies this Convention shall ensure the effectiveapplication of its provis ions. 批准本公约的每一会员国应确保有效地实施本公约的规定。 来自互联网