2007年VOA标准英语-France Draws Down Troops in Ivory Coast

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
23 March 2007

The spokesman for French forces in Ivory Coast says a recent decision to reorganize and reduce their troops is a reflection of the improving conditions in the country following a peace deal reached this earlier this month. But analysts² say the French reduction may be premature³.  Naomi Schwarz has more on the story from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.

French squadron at Abidjan military airport, (May 2004 file photo)

Christian⁴ Rascale, spokesman for Licorne, France's military mission in Ivory Coast, says the defense⁵ ministry⁶'s decision to draw down their troops in the West African nation is a natural reaction to events on the ground.

"The missions of Licorne Force will not be changed," he said.  "And this is a technical adaptation which takes into account the positive evolution of the situation on the territory."

The French Defense Ministry says its forces will pull out of the western area of Ivory Coast, and will be redeployed in the center of country as part of a "reinforced battalion⁷."

The ministry also says it plans to reduce the total number of troops over the next few weeks, from 3,500 to less than 3,000.

The French troops have been in Ivory Coast as part of a peacekeeping force after civil war broke out in 2002.

Rascale says further cutbacks are possible.

"If that situation seems to be more and more positive in the months to come, it is not impossible that we will reduce again that French contribution, but at the time it is, of course, too early," he added.

But he says there is no direct link between the French decision to withdraw its forces, and the peace accords signed between President Laurent Gbagbo and rebel leaders in early March.  That deal called for a reunification of forces under Mr. Gbagbo and rebel leaders and dismantling⁸ a so-called zone of confidence, the name of a buffer⁹ zone between the regions controlled by the rebels and Mr. Gbagbo.

The zone of confidence is currently patrolled by the French forces and United Nations peacekeepers.

But some analysts say now is not a good time for France to reduce its forces.  Daniel Balint Kurti is an analyst¹ with London-based think tank Chatham House.  He says the situation in Ivory Coast is still tense, especially in the western part of the country.

"If you travel through there, you will find a lot villages which have been burned down, some within the last few weeks," he explained.  "So when you are on the ground it does not look like it is a particularly brilliant idea to suddenly send the peacekeepers home."

But he says there may be political pressure in France for President Jacques Chirac to show positive developments in Ivory Coast.

"I think it would be a good departure present for Chirac, if he could show that he had some success in Ivory Coast," he added.  "That Licorne had come, they had done their job, and now with the accord of both the rebels and the government, they were leaving: mission accomplished¹⁰."

Elections in France are scheduled for next month and Mr. Chirac is not running for re-election.

Yet Balint Kurti says it would be a mistake to view the peace accords and the French troop withdrawal¹¹ too skeptically.

He says the accords include many innovative¹² compromises to the disagreements that led to the civil war, including new procedures to determine who should get national identity cards.

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

4 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 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。

7 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

8 dismantling   

（枪支）分解

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。
• The dismantling of a nuclear reprocessing plant caused a leak of radioactivity yesterday. 昨天拆除核后处理工厂引起了放射物泄漏。

9 buffer   

n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲

参考例句：

• A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时，很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
• Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。

10 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

11 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

12 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。