2007年VOA标准英语-Arab Leaders Discuss Regional Peace

By Challiss McDonough
Riyadh
28 March 2007

Arab leaders are meeting in Saudi Arabia in a bid to revive their 2002 Middle East peace plan.  The two-day summit will also address crises in Sudan's Darfur region, Iraq and Lebanon.  VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough has more from Riyadh.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, left, talks to Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal after the opening session of the Arab Summit in Riyadh

Arab leaders at the summit urged Israel to accept the five-year-old Arab peace plan, saying it offers the possibility of peace and recognition with all of its neighbors.

It promises Israel normal relations with all Arab countries, in exchange for Israeli withdrawal¹ from all land it took during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Israel rejected the proposal when it was first put forward in 2002, but has more recently said that it views the plan as a possible basis for talks.  One key Israeli objection is to the return of Palestinian refugees to homes in what is now Israel.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said Israel should accept the Arab proposal first, and then move to negotiations².

"We are at a crossroads," he said.  "Either we move forward to a real peace, which we are ready for, or we see more escalation³, which many are ready for."

Summit host Saudi King Abdullah called for an end to the international embargo⁴ on the Palestinian government.

"It is necessary to end the unjust blockade imposed on our Palestinian brothers as soon as possible," he said.

Saudi Arabia mediated⁵ a settlement last month that ended months of fighting between rival Palestinian factions⁶ and created a unity⁷ government, and Arab states have hoped that the progress would help end international sanctions, imposed when Hamas took control of the government. The United States and Europe consider Hamas a terrorist organization.

Leaders at the summit are dealing⁸ with a number of thorny⁹ regional issues in addition to the Israeli-Palestinian divide.  Saudi King Abdullah said the Arab League nations are more divided than ever.

The conflict in Sudan's Darfur region and worsening Sunni-Shia violence in Iraq are both high on the agenda.  So is the political crisis in Lebanon, which sent two delegations¹⁰ to Riyadh, one led by the president and the other by the prime minister. 

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir defended his rejection¹¹ of U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur, saying he prefers U.N. logistical and financial support for the existing African Union force of 7,000 troops deployed¹² there.  The United Nations has been trying to get President Bashir to agree to a much larger U.N. peacekeeping force.

Wrapping up his first visit to the Middle East since taking office, new U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said instability in the Arab League states is "of profound significance for international peace and security."

"This visit to the region has convinced me that this summit is the most important you have held in recent years," he said.  "The Middle East region is more complex, more fragile and more dangerous than it has been for a very long time."

Saudi Arabia has not hosted a full Arab League summit in more than 30 years.

The kingdom usually prefers a quieter, behind-the-scenes approach to diplomacy¹³, but has lately taken an unusually assertive¹⁴ and public role in working to solve several regional crises, especially the ones in Lebanon and Iraq.

Saudi officials are trying to put the kingdom's best face forward, organizing cultural events and tours for visiting journalists and dignitaries.  Authorities have temporarily relaxed some of the normal restrictions¹⁵ to accommodate female delegates and journalists, some of whom would normally be unable to visit the kingdom without being accompanied by a male relative.

Security for the summit has been extremely tight, with many of the streets of Riyadh shut off and military helicopters buzzing in the skies.

1 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。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

4 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

5 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

6 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

7 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 thorny   

adj.多刺的，棘手的

参考例句：

• The young captain is pondering over a thorny problem.年轻的上尉正在思考一个棘手的问题。
• The boys argued over the thorny points in the lesson.孩子们辩论功课中的难点。

10 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

11 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

12 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

13 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

14 assertive   

adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的

参考例句：

• She always speaks an assertive tone.她总是以果断的语气说话。
• China appears to have become more assertive in the waters off its coastline over recent years.在近些年，中国显示出对远方海洋的自信。

15 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制