VOA标准英语10月-Afghanistan's Karzai Calls for Talks with Taliban

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has made a call for peace to fugitive¹ Taliban leader Mullah Omar, saying he has asked the king of Saudi Arabia to help in talks with the militant² group to bring an end to the insurgent³ activities. Meanwhile, neighboring Pakistan has named a new head of the country's spy agency, which is suspected of having ties with Taliban militants⁴. From Islamabad, Ayaz Gul reports.
　

President Hamid Karzai (File)

President Hamid Karzai disclosed that for the past two years he has been in regular contact with the king of Saudi Arabia, urging him to facilitate peace talks between the Afghan government and insurgent Taliban leader, Mullah Omar.

The Afghan president was speaking to reporters in Kabul at the start of the Muslim festival of Eid-al Fitr.

President Karzai says that as a leader of the Islamic world, he has been urging the Saudi king to help the Afghan government in establishing peace, security and reconciliation⁵ in the country. He reiterated⁶ his call for peace with fugitive Taliban leader, Mullah Omar. Calling on the insurgent Taliban leader as his brother, the Afghan president urged Mullah Omar to stop the killing⁷ of his people and return home to work for the peace and security of Afghanistan.

But Mr. Karzai denied reports that Afghan politicians have already held direct talks with Taliban insurgents⁸ in Saudi Arabia. He said that his representatives have traveled to neighboring Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to seek help, but negotiations⁹ with insurgents will only take place inside Afghanistan.

Taliban insurgents have long refused to hold talks with the U.S-backed Karzai administration, saying they will continue attacks until international troops leave Afghanistan.

Insurgent attacks have intensified¹⁰ in Afghanistan this year, with commanders of the U.S-led coalition¹¹ forces calling for increased troop levels to combat the insurgency¹².

A roadside bomb killed three coalition troops Tuesday in southern Afghanistan. Taliban-led insurgent attacks have killed more than 220 foreign soldiers in the country this year, the highest number of casualties since the U.S-led coalition dislodged the Taliban from power in late 2001.

Afghan and Coalition commanders also allege¹³ Taliban insurgents are using sanctuaries¹⁴ in neighboring Pakistan to launch cross-border attacks. They also suspect that elements in the Pakistani spy agency, Inter-Services-Intelligence or ISI, are helping¹⁵ the militants.

Pakistan denies the allegation and has appointed Lieutenant¹⁶ General Ahmed Shujaa Pasha as the new head of the spy agency. He has been overseeing anti-Taliban operations in the country's volatile¹⁷ tribal¹⁸ regions bordering Afghanistan, which are know for harboring Taliban and al-Qaida militants.

1 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 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。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

6 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

7 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。

8 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

9 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。

10 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 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。

12 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

13 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

14 sanctuaries   

n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所

参考例句：

• The designation of special marine reserves and marine sanctuaries shall be subject to the State Council for approval. 海洋特别保护区、海上自然保护区的确定，须经国务院批准。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After 1965 he acquiesced when they established sanctuaries on that soil. 1965年以后，他默认了他们在那块土地上建立庇护所。 来自辞典例句

15 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。

16 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

17 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

18 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。