VOA标准英语2008年-Chavez Seeks to Renew Peace Efforts in Colombia

By Brian Wagner
Miami
11 January 2008

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he wants to resume peace efforts in Colombia following the release of two hostages held by leftist rebels. VOA's Brian Wagner reports Mr. Chavez also called on Colombia to recognize the rebels as insurgents² and not as a terrorist group.

One day after helping³ negotiate the release of former Colombian politicians Consuelo Gonzalez and Clara Rojas, the Venezuelan president said he is confident he can make further progress with leftist rebels.

Mr. Chavez said, with Colombia's approval, he would renew talks with leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).  They have been waging a communist insurgency⁴ for more than 40 years. He said negotiations⁵ with the leftist group is the only way to achieve peace in Colombia.

Mr. Chavez also called on governments in the region and around the world to remove the FARC and a smaller rebel group from lists of terrorist organizations.

He said the two groups are insurgent¹ armies with political goals, which should be respected.

The United States government considers the FARC a terrorist group and provides millions of dollars in military and economic aid to Colombia's government to counter the rebels.

In a statement, FARC leaders said the release of the two hostages showed their willingness to negotiate with Colombia's government to free additional hostages, in exchange for the release of jailed rebels.

In August, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe asked Mr. Chavez to negotiate a deal with the rebels, but Mr. Uribe called off the Venezuelan leader's involvement last month because he said Mr. Chavez had improper⁶ contact with the Colombian army chief.

In a nationwide address late Thursday, President Uribe thanked Mr. Chavez and other international partners for their role in the hostage release. But he said he remains⁷ committed to tough security policies credited with sharply reducing the rebel threat.

He said Colombia has not yet won the battle against terrorism, but it will.

Mr. Uribe also read out some of the names of more than 700 hostages still in rebel hands, including three American military contractors⁸. Many are being held in exchange for ransom⁹ money used to finance rebel activities.

1 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

2 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 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

5 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。

6 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

7 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。

8 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。