2007年VOA标准英语-EU Crafts New Treaty in Last-Minute Compromise

By Teri Schultz
Brussels
23 June 2007

After an all-night round of negotiations¹, leaders of the European Union agreed early Saturday morning on the basic outline of a new treaty reforming EU rules and institutions.  The agreement is considered another triumph for German Chancellor² Angela Merkel, who earlier this month hosted a G8 summit that reached a compromise on climate change.  Teri Schultz reports for VOA from Brussels, that Mrs. Merkel was determined³ to conclude her country's rotating presidency⁴ of the EU with an agreement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gestures while speaking during a final media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, 23 Jun 23 2007

Chancellor Angela Merkel demonstrated again why she has been dubbed⁵ "summit queen."  Faced at midnight with the possibility of a collapse⁶ of negotiations for a new European Union treaty, Merkel had a compromise in hand by 5:00 a.m. and a weary smile on her face.

"The possibility of compromise was stretched to the limit, but we've managed it and so we are very, very satisfied with what we have managed to conclude this morning," she said.

Poland had threatened a veto, because of its concern that changes in the voting system would favor members with larger populations.  After a day and a half of negotiations failed to convince the Poles to accept alternative language, Ms. Merkel said late Friday that she was ready to move forward with or without Warsaw.

That provoked the Czech Republic and Lithuania to say they support Poland and to launch the new French President Nicolas Sarkozy into the role of mediator⁷. 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy gives the thumbs up as he leaves an EU summit in Brussels, 23 Jun 2007

Mr. Sarkozy managed to forge a compromise agreeable to all sides. Polish President Lech Kaczynski accepted a delayed implementation⁸, until 2014, of the new voting system and, with the change, he asserted that his country's concerns had been met. 

"This is our main success and this is the subject of the most fervent⁹ hot disputes during this Council," he said.

Other member states had other criticisms of the proposed treaty, with outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair leading the opposition¹⁰ to a new position for a foreign minister of the EU.  Mr. Blair said that would impinge on member states' sovereignty. 

In the end, the post will exist - along with a permanent presidency - rather than the current rotating one.  The title for now will be the "High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Defense¹¹ and Security."   The new position will combine those currently held by Javier Solana, as the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, and Benita Waldner, the Commissioner¹² for External Affairs.

Wrapping up the summit Saturday morning, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso joined Chancellor Merkel in expressing relief and satisfaction with a deal that seemed impossible until almost the last moment.

"I have to say honestly that maybe it is not the most beautiful lyrics¹³, the text we have adopted, but I am sure it will be efficient prose," he said.

Mr. Barroso gave Ms. Merkel a bouquet¹⁴ along with words of appreciation¹⁵ for her fortitude¹⁶ in working to hammer out the "eleventh-hour" compromise.

The EU intends to have a treaty completed by the end of the year, with final ratification¹⁷ by all 27-member states by 2009.

1 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。

2 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

3 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。

4 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

5 dubbed   

v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制

参考例句：

• Mathematics was once dubbed the handmaiden of the sciences. 数学曾一度被视为各门科学的基础。
• Is the movie dubbed or does it have subtitles? 这部电影是配音的还是打字幕的？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

7 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

8 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

9 fervent   

adj.热的，热烈的，热情的

参考例句：

• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。
• Austria was among the most fervent supporters of adolf hitler.奥地利是阿道夫希特勒最狂热的支持者之一。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 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。

12 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

13 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

14 bouquet   

n.花束，酒香

参考例句：

• This wine has a rich bouquet.这种葡萄酒有浓郁的香气。
• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。

15 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

16 fortitude   

n.坚忍不拔；刚毅

参考例句：

• His dauntless fortitude makes him absolutely fearless.他不屈不挠的坚韧让他绝无恐惧。
• He bore the pain with great fortitude.他以极大的毅力忍受了痛苦。

17 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。