2007年VOA标准英语-Talks Resume to Break Nepalese Political Impass

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
27 September 2007

Efforts are continuing in Nepal to break a political impasse¹ that would bring the former rebel Maoists back into the interim² government and allow November elections to be held on schedule. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman has the latest from our South Asia bureau in New Delhi.

Seven Nepalese political parties have met to try to break a deadlock³ that threatens upcoming national elections. The conference took place following an unsuccessful meeting earlier in the day between Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and the Maoist leader, Prachanda.

The communists, who fought a decade-long battle against Nepal's monarchy⁴, left the interim coalition⁵ government last week. They have repeatedly demanded that Nepal immediately be declared a republic.

Nepalese conflict analyst⁷ Bishnu Pathak, who has been playing a role as a mediator⁸ among concerned parties, predicts that peaceful demonstrations⁹ threatened by the Maoists could escalate¹⁰ into violent clashes.

"They would be launching this peoples' revolt," said Pathak.  "And it is similar to what Lenin had launched long back in the USSR."

The meetings come a day after the country's largest political party and long-time backer of the monarchy, the Nepali Congress, approved a resolution urging an end to the two centuries of rule by the Shah dynasty, turning Nepal into a federal democratic republic.

The party says the move should be taken after the November 22 balloting¹¹, which is due to select an assembly that will draft a constitution and decide the fate of the monarchy.

But the Maoists are threatening to disrupt November elections if other political parties in the interim government do not bow to their demand for the immediate⁶ dethronement of the king.

In reality, King Gyanendra is already a mere¹² figurehead, stripped of all real power, and most of the royal assets have been seized by the state.

The Maoists hold only one-fourth of the 330 seats in the interim parliament. But Bishnu Pathak says they may have enough strength through allied¹³ lawmakers to call a special session of the legislature, in an effort, for example, to push through a no-confidence motion against the prime minister.

The Maoists signed a peace treaty with the government last year, ending a decade-long insurgency¹⁴ that claimed 13,000 lives. The settlement followed mass protests that forced the king to end an unpopular dictatorship.

1 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

2 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

3 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

4 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

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 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 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。

9 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

10 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

11 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

12 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

13 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

14 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网