VOA常速英语2008年-Mediators Brief Kenya Parliament on Crisis Nego

By Scott Bobb
Nairobi
12 February 2008

The chief mediator¹ in the Kenya reconciliation² talks, Kofi Annan, has briefed the Kenyan parliament on the negotiations³. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Nairobi that the former U.N. secretary-general placed a media blackout on the talks as part of efforts to forge an accord by the end of this week.

A member of the government negotiating team, Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula, told VOA that chief mediator Kofi Annan told lawmakers they are part of the process aimed at ending the dispute over December's elections.

"Kofi Annan and his team were briefing parliament on the dialogue and mediation⁴ process so far, so that they [parliament] are in the picture, they are kept abreast⁵ and they become fully⁶ engaged and seized with the issue," said Wetangula.

The speaker of Parliament and opposition⁷ member, Kenneth Marenda, discounted reports the talks had hit hurdles⁸ over how to end the confrontation⁹ between the government of Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

"Almost all issues appear to be on course," said Marenda. "Both sides of the political divide are prepared to dialogue and continue. They are all looking forward to a solution and so we do not see a stumbling block as of where we are."

The opposition accuses Mr. Kibaki of rigging the election in order to stay in power. It wants a form of power sharing to be enacted¹⁰ until new elections can be held.

But Foreign Minister Wetangula said the Kenyan constitution does not provide for power sharing.

"There has been no such [power sharing] institution so there are no terms to suit what is not there," he said.

But he indicated that some reforms being discussed could require parliamentary action.

"There will be some [changes] that will require legislative¹¹ action to be implemented¹²," said Wetangula. "There will be others that will require constitutional amendment¹³ to be implemented. So parliament must come on board."

Opposition member Marenda said Annan told parliament he hopes to conclude the negotiations soon.

"We expect a road map in the next one week," he said. "In other words, we expect a program of action which will then lead to peace in the country."

Kenyan leaders are under pressure to settle the dispute rapidly. Relief officials say the country faces a humanitarian¹⁴ crisis if the stalemate continues.

More than 300,000 people have been displaced by the violence in which an estimated 1,000 were killed. The crisis has also hurt the Kenyan economy, in particular tourism, transportation and agriculture.

1 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

2 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。

3 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。

4 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

5 abreast   

adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地

参考例句：

• She kept abreast with the flood of communications that had poured in.她及时回复如雪片般飞来的大批信件。
• We can't keep abreast of the developing situation unless we study harder.我们如果不加强学习，就会跟不上形势。

6 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。

7 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。

8 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

9 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

10 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

11 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

12 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

13 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

14 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。