VOA标准英语10月-Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Talks Drag

President Robert Mugabe is holding out against losing control of the police to prime-minister designate Morgan Tsvangirai. Peta Thornycroft reports for VOA that power-sharing negotiations¹ have reached such a critical stage there are fears the agreement signed three weeks ago will become null and void.
　

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (File)

According to a long-standing legislative² watchdog, Veritas, the constitution allows the president, who will continue to be Robert Mugabe in the new government, to appoint the top policeman - the commissioner³ general.

The present commissioner general Augustine Chihuri, along with all other service chiefs, has said he will not serve under nor salute⁴ prime minister-designate Tsvangirai.

Mr. Tsvangirai says he needs to run the home affairs ministry⁵ in a new power sharing government. He has already agreed to Mr. Mugabe having control of the army and the central-intelligence organization.

Mr. Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change won a narrow parliamentary majority in March 29 elections. Mr. Mugabe's government declared he was the winner of the disputed second round presidential vote.

Veritas also noted⁶ that the central-bank governorship is also under control of the president.

The term of bank governor Gideon Gono ends this year. He is accused by the MDC and many businessmen of causing massive inflation by printing money. The U.S.-based Cato Institute estimates present inflation is at more than 500 billion percent, a world record.

Gono has canceled electronic money transfers between banks and between banks and account holders⁷.

Human-rights organizations say Zimbabweans are suffering because of restrictions⁸ on withdrawing their own money from banks. People are not allowed to withdraw enough from their own accounts to buy a single meal, or even a loaf of bread.

Veritas says under Zimbabwe law the central-bank governor is obliged to consult the minister of finance, but does not have to follow any advice.

In recent years, Veritas says, the central bank has taken over many traditional functions and responsibilities of the finance ministry, which has allowed the government to bypass constitutional requirements for legislative control of public money.

Western donors⁹ have made it clear that no rescue package will come Zimbabwe's way unless there is a new independent central-bank governor and the institution reverts¹⁰ to its traditional role.

Negotiations for the cabinet will continue this week, but some analysts¹¹ predict there could be such a serious deadlock¹² that the power sharing agreement will fail unless Mr. Mugabe relents on the police portfolio¹³.

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 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

3 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。

4 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

5 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。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

8 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

9 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 reverts   

恢复( revert的第三人称单数 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还

参考例句：

• The mind reverts to the earliest days of colonial history. 我们回想到早期的殖民地历史。
• Macau reverts to Chinese sovereignty at midnight on December19. 澳门主权于十二月十九日零时回归中国。

11 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

12 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。

13 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。