2007年VOA标准英语-Bush, Talabani Reaffirm Need for Iraq to Meet G

By Paula Wolfson
White House
31 May 2007

President Bush met Thursday with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. VOA's Paula Wolfson has the story from the White House.

President Bush (r) and Jalal Talabani at the White House, 31 May 2007

The meeting ended with both men reaffirming the need for the Iraqi government to meet certain goals, or benchmarks.

President Bush said the United States supports the effort.

"I told the president that I'm fully¹ committed to helping² the Iraqi government achieve important objectives, we call them benchmarks," said President Bush.

Those benchmarks include drafting and implementing³ an oil revenue sharing law, and finding ways to bring the various factions⁴ in Iraq together.

President Bush told reporters that he is sending an emissary to Iraq to help turn these goals into reality. She is Meghan O'Sullivan, who recently stepped down as the Iraq coordinator⁵ on the president's National Security Council.

"She's going back to serve with Ambassador [Ryan] Crocker, to help the Iraqis - and to help the embassy help the Iraqis meet the benchmarks that the congress and the president [of the United States] expect to get passed," he said.

Just last week, Mr. Bush signed a war funding bill that threatens to withhold⁶ U.S. aid for Iraq if these benchmarks are not met.

President Talabani said progress is being made in key areas, but he acknowledged problems remain.

"I don't deny difficulties," said President Talabani. "I don't deny shortcomings. I don't deny that still we are suffering from some problems. But we are determined⁷ to [meet] benchmarks and we are determined to move forward and achieve."

The Iraqi president came to Washington from the midwestern state of Minnesota where he has been receiving medical treatment. His last visit to the White House was in September, 2005.

1 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

4 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

5 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

6 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。