2007年VOA标准英语-US Says Most Security Council Members Back Inde

By Peter Heinlein
United Nations
10 May 2007

Washington's ambassador at the United Nations says most Security Council members back a plan to grant supervised independence to Kosovo. But as VOA's correspondent at the U.N. Peter Heinlein reports, veto-wielding Russia remains¹ opposed to the plan.

Zalmay Khalilzad (file photo)

America's U.N. ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, told the Security Council Thursday delaying a decision on Kosovo's future is a prescription² for rising resentment³ and economic stagnation⁴ in the Balkan region.

He said the Council's recent mission to Belgrade and Pristina had convinced him that talks on Kosovo's future are hopelessly deadlocked⁵, and Council action is necessary.

"I understand that there is no potential for compromise on the independence question," he said. "Nothing further from these talks can come about, and no potential for passage of time to change the polarization in the foreseeable future. I think delay on the other hand has great potential to destabilize Kosovo and the Balkans."

The United States and European powers have signaled an intention to put the issue to an early vote in the Security Council. Ambassador Khalilzad says a formal resolution could be introduced as early as Friday. He says most Council members back a recommendation from special U.N. envoy⁶ Martti Ahtisaari that the region be granted supervised independence.

"I believe the votes are there for supporting the Ahtisaari Plan, assuming there is no Russian veto," he said.

Khalilzad said that he has not heard any Russian veto threat.

A short time later, however, Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, refused to rule out a veto. Speaking to reporters, he noted⁷ what he called "irreconcilable⁸ differences" between elements of a U.S. and European-backed resolution that endorse⁹ the Ahtisaari proposal, and a separate set of Russian elements calling for more negotiations¹⁰.

"There are some points in those elements that clearly cannot be reconciled," he said. "So this is why there are two separate documents now on the table. So we have a difficult problem before us. We believe this problem requires further negotiations."

At the same time, Churkin said Russia understands that what he called "the status quo" in Kosovo cannot continue. He said Moscow is prepared to accept a transfer of the region's administration from United Nations to European Union control.

But he argued that independence would set a precedent¹¹ by violating the territorial¹² integrity of a U.N. member state.

"We understand and appreciate that the European Union is very actively¹³ involved and prepared to take over the main political role in Kosovo," he said. "We don't mind that. I could easily see a formula where as the talks between Belgrade and Pristina continue, the European Union could take over from the U.N., but it is an issue of broad international significance, and in a situation where never before has a part of a country, an autonomous¹⁴ region, been, never before it has been proposed that they be given independence, this is a threshold situation in terms of international law."

Backers of Kosovo's independence call it a unique case in view of the genocide that occurred there in the 1990s, leading to the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

Kosovo has been administered by the United Nations since 1999, after a NATO bombing campaign ended a brutal¹⁵ crackdown by Serbian forces against the province's Albanians.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

3 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

4 stagnation   

n. 停滞

参考例句：

• Poor economic policies led to a long period of stagnation and decline. 糟糕的经济政策道致了长时间的经济萧条和下滑。
• Motion is absolute while stagnation is relative. 运动是绝对的，而静止是相对的。

5 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。

6 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。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 irreconcilable   

adj.（指人）难和解的，势不两立的

参考例句：

• These practices are irreconcilable with the law of the Church.这种做法与教规是相悖的。
• These old concepts are irreconcilable with modern life.这些陈旧的观念与现代生活格格不入。

9 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

10 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。

11 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

12 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

13 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

14 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

15 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。