VOA常速英语2007年-Commonwealth Summit Ends in Kampala

By Malcolm Webb
Kampala
25 November 2007

The three-day Commonwealth¹ summit has concluded in Uganda. Malcolm Webb reports from Uganda's capital, Kampala.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, known as CHOGM, drew to a close, with statements by the leaders of a number of Commonwealth countries. Key decisions made included the suspension of Pakistan, after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf failed to meet a deadline to lift emergency rule and resign as army chief.

 

One of the main issues discussed has been climate change. The Commonwealth leaders issued a statement on climate-change policy Saturday, after struggling throughout a long meeting to try to reach consensus².

At the closing ceremony, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Patrick Manning, the host of the next CHOGM, stressed the urgency of addressing greenhouse gas emissions³.

"This CHOGM, ladies and gentlemen, is outstanding for a number of reasons, particularly as it relates to Trinidad and Tobago and the Carribean," said Patrick Manning. "The question of climate change - very significant indeed - Trinidad and Tobago being now an industrialized country. It has become very clear to us following this CHOGM that we will have to move on very fast to deal with this whole question of greenhouse gas emissions, the effects on the world and our contribution to it."

At the start of the summit Britain had called for a strong statement on climate change that would urge developed nations to make binding⁴ commitments on reducing emissions at a world environment conference next month in Bali. Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon had said the statement was expected to be significant.

 

But when it was released Saturday, it quickly came under criticism for containing only vague language, and for not suggesting any move towards binding international agreements.

International environmental campaign group Greenpeace said it lacked any sense of urgency, and St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas said he thought it should have gone further. St. Kitts is among countries several Commonwealth countries likely to be heavily hit by global warming. Many members are small islands with populated coastlines, which will be submerged by rising sea-levels.

 

It is widely thought at the summit that Canada, a big oil producer, was reluctant agree to a stronger statement. Commonwealth decisions are generally made with consensus, so without the support of all members, a stronger agreement could have not have been made.

 

Outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, speaking to press at the end of the summit, acknowledged that the statement failed to meet some members expectations, but he said it was still a worthwhile step forward.

"The Commonwealth leaders did spend a lot of time debating it, they clearly have gone further than their foreign ministers were going," said McKinnon. "This statement does raise the bar, raises the bar of expectations of what Commonwealth countries can deliver."

This CHOGM was McKinnon's last, after holding the position of Secretary General for two four-year terms. Commonwealth leaders Saturday appointed his successor, Indian Diplomat⁵ Kamalesh Sharmar. He will take over from Mckinnon April 1, and will lead the Commonwealth at the next summit to be held in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009.

1 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

2 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

3 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

4 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

5 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。