voa标准英语2008年-Rice Urges Africans to Pressure Mugabe on Power

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday called on African countries to do more to pressure Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to share power with the political opposition¹. Rice said that if Mr. Mugabe succeeds in retaining total control of his country, it will have negative consequences for the region. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaks with reporters at the State Department in Washington, 26 Nov 2008

Rice is challenging the notion that southern African states lack the leverage² to push Mr. Mugabe into meaningful power-sharing, and says it would be short-sighted of them if they fail to do.

At a news conference in Washington, Rice expressed agreement with Botswana's call to isolate³ Zimbabwe to force Mr. Mugabe from power, although she said that closing the country's borders with the outside world would be very difficult.

The Secretary said the United States, Europe and some African countries have worked hard to exert pressure on Mr. Mugabe, but that effective sanctions in the United Nations have been blocked.

She said that ultimately, the key to change in Zimbabwe rests with its neighbors.

"Frankly⁴, we need more help from the region," said Rice. "And I think it is short-sighted on the part of the region to let this continue because looks to me as if what Mugabe is doing is that he is pulling as much power onto his own hands as he possibly can. The MDC [the opposition Movement for Democratic Change], I think, is being squeezed out and intimidated⁵. And what started out as power-sharing talks don't look very promising⁶."
　

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe looks on during the opening plenary of the Southern African Development Community Extraordinary Summit in Johannesburg, S. Africa, 09 Nov 2008

Mr. Mugabe agreed in principle in September to share power with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, or MDC, which won parliamentary elections in March. But South African-brokered implementation⁷ talks have foundered⁸, with Mr. Mugabe unwilling⁹ to yield any key cabinet posts to his rivals.

Rice said that if the process does not succeed, it will have a very great impact on South Africa, in particular, which has already taken in thousands of Zimbabweans displaced by political violence and economic deprivation¹⁰.

The Secretary said she believes the region has the capacity to put enough pressure on the Zimbabwean leader to get a "reasonable" power-sharing arrangement.

She also said if the region is willing to act, it will make international sanctions easier to achieve.

In the absence of effective United Nations action, the Bush administration has imposed its own targeted sanctions against Mr. Mugabe, his family and close associates.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury¹¹ Department put sanctions on four more people - two Zimbabwean businessmen, a Thai businesswoman and a Malaysian doctor - it described as Mugabe "cronies".

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

3 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

4 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

5 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

8 foundered   

v.创始人( founder的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Three ships foundered in heavy seas. 三艘船在波涛汹涌的海面上沉没了。 来自辞典例句
• The project foundered as a result of lack of finance. 该项目因缺乏资金而告吹。 来自辞典例句

9 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

10 deprivation   

n.匮乏；丧失；夺去，贫困

参考例句：

• Many studies make it clear that sleep deprivation is dangerous.多实验都证实了睡眠被剥夺是危险的。
• Missing the holiday was a great deprivation.错过假日是极大的损失。

11 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。