VOA常速英语2008年-Kenya Mediator Outlines Agreement, Says Deal Is

By Scott Bobb
Nairobi
15 February 2008

The chief mediator¹ in the Kenya reconciliation² talks, Kofi Annan, says difficult steps remain before the government and opposition³ can reach a settlement to end the crisis over December's disputed elections, but he says a deal is close. Mr. Annan made the remarks Friday at the end of a third week of negotiations⁴ as we hear from VOA's Scott Bobb in Nairobi.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that government and opposition negotiators have made substantial progress and have signed a four-page agreement on how to resolve the political crisis in Kenya.

The agreement calls for the creation of an independent commission to review the disputed elections that caused the wave of deadly violence of the past six weeks.

"This committee would be mandated⁵ to investigate all aspects of the 2007 presidential election and make findings and recommendations to improve the electoral process," said the former U.N. secretary-general.

Mr. Annan said the commission would be a non-judicial body made up of Kenyan and non-Kenyan experts. He added that Kenyans have a right to know the truth about the cause of the violence that killed 1,000 people and displaced 300,000 more. The negotiators agreed that a vote recount or a re-run of the presidential election would be counterproductive.

Mr. Annan said the negotiators agreed that a political settlement is needed to promote national reconciliation and unity⁶.

"The parties further agreed that this settlement is not about sharing ministries⁷ but about addressing the root causes of recurrent conflict in this country," he said.

He said a long-term solution is needed. This would include comprehensive reforms to Kenya's constitution, electoral laws, political institutions and security forces. It also includes the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission and prosecution⁸ of those responsible for the violence.

Mr. Annan said the two sides will consult their leaders in the coming days and on Tuesday resume negotiations with him to formulate⁹ a mechanism¹⁰ to implement¹¹ the reforms.

He acknowledged that the talks, which were meant to last only two weeks, are taking longer than expected but he added this is understandable.

"The issues are complex," said Mr. Annan. "Reaching a compromise is difficult. But let me assure you that there is a real momentum¹². We are on the water's edge and the last difficult and frightening step, as difficult as it is, will be taken."

Mr. Annan said he hopes to meet separately Monday with President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga and ask them to instruct their negotiators to make a deal.

Both sides have been under intense pressure to reach a settlement. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to arrive in Kenya Monday to show support for the negotiations.

The British high commissioner¹³ to Kenya, Adam Wood, told the Kenya Television Network on Thursday that Britain does not recognize the government of Mwai Kibaki as representing the will of Kenya's people. He indicated Britain is considering sanctions such as a ban on visits by certain leaders and a freeze of their assets in Britain.

The comment drew a strong protest from Kenya's Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula who warned that his government might retaliate¹⁴.

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 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。

4 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。

5 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

8 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

9 formulate   

v.用公式表示；规划；设计；系统地阐述

参考例句：

• He took care to formulate his reply very clearly.他字斟句酌，清楚地做了回答。
• I was impressed by the way he could formulate his ideas.他陈述观点的方式让我印象深刻。

10 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

11 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

12 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

13 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

14 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。