VOA标准英语10月-Libya Begins Payments to Terrorism Victims' Fund

The State Department said Thursday Libya has made a substantial initial payment into a U.S.-administered fund to settle remaining claims from Libyan-inspired acts of terrorism. The settlement plan would clear the way to fully¹-normalized U.S.-Libyan relations. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Officials are not saying just how much the Libyan payment was, but they do say that it is substantial and evidence of Libyan good faith in fulfilling a compensation deal reached in August.

The process of normalizing U.S.-Libyan relations, which began when Libya renounced² terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, has been stopped short of completion over lingering terrorism compensation claims.

In 2003 Libya accepted responsibility for several acts of terrorism in the 1980s including the 1988 bombing over Scotland of a Pan Am jumbo jet which killed 270 people.

Libya paid most of a $2.7 billion compensation package negotiated with Pan Am victims' families but the process broke down amid legal disputes.

The U.S.-Libyan accord reached in August set up a nominally-voluntary fund that would pay remaining claims of American claimants, and to Libyans who have sought compensation in that country's courts for U.S. retaliatory³ air strikes in 1986.
　

David Welch during the ceremony of signing a cooperation agreement in Tripoli, Libya, 14 Aug 2008

In a telephone conference call with reporters Thursday, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch said the U.S.-run "humanitarian⁴" fund will eventually total $1.8 billion, of which 300 million would go to settle the Libyan claims.

Welch, who led the U.S. negotiating team for the accord, said the Libyan payment is a "substantial indication" of Libya's commitment to fully implement⁵ the deal, and said he is optimistic the process will be finished soon.

"I've always said I was optimistic," he said. "But I've also always said that I didn't want to put a timetable down. Of course in our private discussions, we've had some exchanges about our expectations on how soon this would move. And I would note, as I said earlier, that it's a promising⁶ thing that a substantial deposit has actually now been received, and directly into a U.S. government account."

Once the account is fully funded, the Bush administration is to grant Libya immunity⁷ from additional terrorism-related court cases, and then remaining compensation is to be distributed.

Welch was not specific about the source of the Libyan payment but said the Libyan government has asked Libyan and other companies doing business in that country to contribute to the fund.

He said he did not know if American companies operating in Libya had been solicited⁸ or made contributions, but said Libyan authorities have been told the U.S. government "would not countenance⁹" pressure tactics to get them to participate.

The two countries announced a normalization¹⁰ of relations in 2006 and Condoleezza Rice in September paid the first visit to Libya by a U.S. Secretary of State in over 50 years.

However, congressional restrictions¹¹ related to compensation have prevented a full U.S. ambassador from taking up residence in Tripoli, and have barred funding for a new U.S. embassy there.

1 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

2 renounced   

v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• We have renounced the use of force to settle our disputes. 我们已再次宣布放弃使用武力来解决争端。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Andrew renounced his claim to the property. 安德鲁放弃了财产的所有权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 retaliatory   

adj.报复的

参考例句：

• The process can take years before the WTO approves retaliatory action. 在WTO通过此行动之前，这个程序恐怕要等上一阵子了。 来自互联网
• Retaliatory tariffs on China are tantamount to taxing ourselves as a punishment. 将惩罚性关税强加于中国相当于对我们自己实施课税惩罚。 来自互联网

4 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

5 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

6 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

7 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

8 solicited   

v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求

参考例句：

• He's already solicited their support on health care reform. 他已就医疗改革问题请求他们的支持。 来自辞典例句
• We solicited ideas from Princeton University graduates and under graduates. 我们从普林斯顿大学的毕业生与大学生中征求意见。 来自辞典例句

9 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

10 normalization   

n.（normalisation）正常化，标准化

参考例句：

• The visit signalled the normalization of relations between the two countries.这次访问显示两国关系已经正常化。
• He was pleased to the normalization of relationship between the police and the people.他很高兴警方和人民之间关系的正常化。

11 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