voa标准英语2008-US Examining Options in Response to Apparent Cou

The State Department says U.S. officials are examining options including possible aid cuts in response to the apparent military coup¹ in Guinea. The United States is calling for an immediate² return to civilian³ rule in the west African state.
　

Guinean soldiers on armored vehicles patrol streets of Conakry, 23 Dec 2008

Officials in Washington say the United States will be consulting with allies in west Africa and Europe on ways to bring pressure on military authorities in Guinea in the wake of the announcement from Conakry that a group of officers has seized power.

State Department Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood said the United States will be examining options including possible U.S. aid cuts to try to reverse the coup, which occurred hours after the death Monday of Guinea's long-time President Lansana Conte.

Officers from the so-called National Council for Democracy and Development said coup leader Moussa Dadis Camara would become head of state, and that elections will be held before the end of 2010.

Spokesman Wood told reporters there should be an immediate return to civilian rule.

"One of the things we want to see happen immediately is the restoration of civilian, democratic rule," Wood said. "We are very disappointed that this transition process in Guinea does not have any civilian component⁴. So we obviously want to see civilian, democratic constitutional rule back in Guinea as soon as possible."

Wood said the situation in Conakry is calm, but tense, with an overnight curfew in place.

He said the U.S. review of options would begin immediately, though he gave no indication when decisions might be made.

The Bush administration is obligated by an act of Congress to halt non-humanitarian aid to countries in which civilian rule is overturned by a military coup.

It suspended more than $20 million worth of military aid, peacekeeping training and other assistance to Mauritania after the coup there last August, and continues to call for the release and return to office of detained former Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi.

The United States has various aid programs in Guinea including military training, democracy-promotion and agriculture, though spokesman Wood had no overall dollar figure for the assistance.

The late Guinean President Conte had ruled the country with an authoritarian⁵ hand since a 1984 coup, but had been elected to the office three times - most recently in 2003 when the opposition⁶ boycotted⁷ the vote.

The State Department said Tuesday it hoped that a more-democratic governing structure would emerge in Guinea after the death of President Conte.

1 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

5 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

6 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。

7 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。