2007年VOA标准英语-US Delays Imposing Sanctions on Sudan

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill
11 April 2007

U.S. special envoy¹ to Sudan Andrew Natsios says the United States has agreed to a request from U.N. Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon to delay imposing² new sanctions against Sudan to give him more time to press Khartoum to accept a peacekeeping force in war-torn Darfur.  VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill, where Natsios made his comments to a Senate panel.

Special envoy Andrew Natsios says Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon asked the United States last month to hold off on the new sanctions while he seeks to convince the Sudanese government to allow a United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force for Darfur. 

Sudan has so far refused to accept such a force on grounds its sovereignty would be violated.

In response to a question from Senator George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, Natsios told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the United States has agreed to the secretary-general's request.

NATSIOS:  "I think we need to give him a chance."

VOINOVICH:  "What does that mean?"

NATSIOS:  "It means if he asks for a two to four week delay, we need to respect that.  That is what he asked for publicly."

Natios says the United States is considering adding 29 Sudanese firms - some involved in the oil industry -- to a current U.S. sanctions list of some 130 companies to press Khartoum to accept the peacekeeping force.  He said the measures would prevent those targeted firms from doing business in U.S. dollars.

"We believe it will have an effect on the economy, a substantial effect," Natsios said.

Under a U.N.-backed agreement reached last year, some 20,000 U.N. and A.U. peacekeepers are to be deployed³ in Darfur to protect the estimated 2.5 million people who have been displaced from their homes by the conflict and allow for relief operations.

Joseph Biden

The committee chairman, Democratic Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, expressed frustration⁴ that more has not been done to halt the violence in Darfur.

"We must set a hard deadline now on Khartoum to accept the hybrid⁵ U.N.-A.U. force.  We must plan to impose that force if Khartoum refuses, and to take other concrete steps that could start saving lives now," Biden said.

Natsios said all military options are on the table, but refused to elaborate.  He said he would brief the committee about military options in closed session.

The special envoy expressed concern that the Darfur conflict has spilled over the border into Chad, and he urged Sudan and its neighbors to act with restraint.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte is traveling to Sudan, Chad and Libya this week to address the Darfur situation.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

3 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。

4 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

5 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。