voa标准英语2008-UN Security Council Has 'Cautious Optimism' for

A delegation¹ from the U.N. Security Council has just returned from Afghanistan, where they say there has been some progress on several fronts, giving them a sense of "cautious optimism" for the future.
　

Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi, head of the U.N. mission to Afghanistan, speaking in Kabul, 28 Nov 2008

Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi led the four-day mission last week and briefed the full Security Council. His country is the fifth-largest troop contributor to the NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, with about 2,300 soldiers participating in the 51,000-member force.

Ambassador Terzi said Afghanistan is facing a difficult security situation, but not a security crisis.

"This qualification is based on the acknowledgment that the insurgency² is concentrated in specific regions and does not offer any alternative model of government, despite the illusion it creates of being omnipresent," he said.

The ambassador said improved relations with neighboring Pakistan, recent cabinet appointments, a 19 percent reduction in Afghanistan's opium³ cultivation⁴ and the registration⁵ of nearly two million Afghans in the first two phases of the voter registration project were reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the country's future.
　

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai (File)

On the subject of Afghan peace talks, Ambassador Terzi said there is growing national support for President Hamid Karzai's position that any talks with the Taliban be based on their renunciation of violence and acceptance of the Afghan constitution.

"On national reconciliation⁶, we noted⁷ an increasing consensus⁸ among Afghan interlocutors on the concept that any dialogue with anti-government elements must be conducted by the Afghan authorities from a position of strength and that the renunciation of violence and respect for the Afghan constitution must constitute the red lines of any negotiation," he said.

He added that negotiations⁹ must be a complement¹⁰ to the fight against terrorism, not an alternative. And the reconciliation process must lead to democratization, not to an increased influence of Taliban ideology¹¹ on Afghan society.

Ambassador Terzi said the impact of the conflict on civilians¹² is an issue of particular concern to the Security Council and was the subject of in-depth discussions during the visit. He said insurgents¹³ cause most casualties and that the NATO-led international force is making every effort to avoid such incidents.

While in Afghanistan, the mission visited the capital, Kabul, as well as the northwestern province of Herat. They met with President Karzai, parliament members, civil society groups, and representatives of NATO, human rights groups, the diplomatic community and the U.N. country team.

1 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

2 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

3 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

4 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

5 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

6 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。

7 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。

8 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

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 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

11 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

12 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

13 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