2007年VOA标准英语-NATO Chief says Taleban, al-Qaida Hide Behind C

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
03 July 2007

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop¹ Scheffer says the alliance must do everything in its power to avoid civilian² casualties in Afghanistan. But he warned that NATO opponents in Afghanistan cannot be put on the same moral ground as alliance forces. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (14 Jun 2007)

Amid growing concerns about the killing³ of innocent people by NATO forces in Afghanistan, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says the alliance will do and has to do everything in its ability to prevent civilian casualties.

"For NATO every single innocent life lost in Afghanistan in one too many," he said.

The NATO chief was addressing reporters following a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on the sidelines of a two-day conference on Afghanistan's rule of law, under way at the Foreign Ministry⁴ in Rome.

The secretary-general said no NATO soldier or coalition⁵ soldier would ever intentionally⁶ kill innocent civilians⁷. He also made clear that no one should forget that NATO and the international community's opponents in Afghanistan cannot be placed in the same moral category as NATO forces.

"Our opponent mingles⁸ and mixes with innocent civilians. They are in a different moral category," he said. "I mean, we do not intentionally kill. They behead people, they burn schools, they kill women and children. In other words, let us not forget that. But having said that, NATO will do and has to do everything in its ability to prevent civilian casualties."

De Hoop Scheffer said that NATO would look at its procedures and coordination⁹ with other forces operating in Afghanistan so that the right procedures are in place to avoid civilian casualties as much as possible.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan has been a sensitive issue for the international military mission there. President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly asked international forces to take better care of Afghan lives.

1 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 mingles   

混合，混入( mingle的第三人称单数 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• He rarely mingles with persons of his own rank in society. 他几乎不与和他身份相同的人交往。
• The distant rumbling of the guns mingles with our marching song. 枪的深邃长声与我们行进歌混合。

9 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。