VOA标准英语10月-Rice: 'No Stone Unturned' in Effort for Mideast P

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she will explore every possibility in her quest for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians before the end of this year. Secretary Rice made the remarks before a conference on Palestinian business investment Tuesday in Washington. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details.

President Bush and Secretary Rice launched the latest effort to boost peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians nearly a year ago at a conference in Annapolis, Maryland.
　

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, October 14, 2008

On Tuesday, Secretary Rice told a U.S. conference on investment in the Palestinian Territories that since then, the parties have engaged in sustained, substantive¹ negotiations² to achieve a two-state solution to their conflict.

She said, "We must do everything that we can with the negotiating partners to get to the Annapolis solution and that would be to find an agreement between these parties by the end of the year. It is very difficult. There is a hard road ahead. But if we do not try, we certainly will not succeed."

The gathering³ of U.S. business leaders, sponsored by the Chamber⁴ of Commerce, was a follow-up to a conference held in May in Bethlehem where investors⁵ pledged to pump more than $1 billion into the Palestinian economy.

Rice noted⁶ in her speech that she and President Bush leave office in January and vowed⁷ to continue her efforts to make progress toward peace. "Until that moment when I leave office, I will leave no stone unturned to see if we can finally resolve this conflict between peoples."

Secretary Rice has made numerous trips to the Middle East, but negotiators have made little public progress. Israeli and Palestinian leaders have expressed doubt they can achieve an agreement by the end of the year.

Rice said the Palestinians and Israelis need to redouble their efforts for peace. "The Palestinian Authority has to continue to dismantle⁸ the infrastructure⁹ of terrorism and to promote an atmosphere of tolerance¹⁰. Israel must also halt settlement activity, which can be seen as prejudging the outcome of negotiations and undermining its negotiating partner."

Rice also urged the Israelis to make more progress in reducing roadblocks and other impediments to Palestinian movement to allow businessmen and workers to operate in an environment in which Palestinian people and their economy can thrive.

Major issues in the conflict continue to be the borders of a future Palestinian state, the fate of Palestinian refugees and the status of Jerusalem.

1 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

2 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。

3 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

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 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

8 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

9 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

10 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。