VOA常速英语2008年-US Urges Political Consensus in Pakistan After

By David Gollust
State Department
19 February 2008

The Bush administration said Tuesday it hopes to see a moderate consensus¹ emerge in Pakistan after parliamentary elections that will continue reforms and combat extremism and terror. Pakistani voters Monday dealt a major setback² to the party of President Pervez Musharraf. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Despite the blow to President Musharraf, a key U.S. ally, officials here reject the notion the election was a defeat for the Bush administration.  They say the United States is ready to work cooperatively with both Mr. Musharaf and the government that emerges from Monday's voting.

Asked about implications for Washington from the Pakistani election, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack quipped that he did not recall seeing the United States on the ballot³.

But he said the parties that gained in the election, led by the Pakistan People's Party of slain⁴ former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, all have in one form or another expressed what he termed "an abiding⁵ commitment" to combat extremism and terror.  He said he hopes that consensus is reflected in the policies of the coalition⁶ government that will now take shape:

"What we will urge is that those moderate forces within Pakistani politics, who now have a seat at the table so to speak in winning seats in the parliament, should band together, should work together for a few goals that are in the interest of Pakistan: broaden and deepen Pakistan's economic and political reforms, remain committed to fighting violent extremists and terrorists in the region and on Pakistan soil," he said.  "This is in the long-term interests of Pakistan and the Pakistani people."

McCormack said the United States has a "deep national interest" in working with Pakistan in breaking up terrorist cells that operate from that country's remote, federally administered tribal⁷ areas of north and south Waziristan.

At the same time, he said the most important bulwark⁸ against terrorism in Pakistan is the development of a more open, free and prosperous society.

The comments follow a Washington Post report Tuesday that a rocket attack that killed a senior al-Qaida commander, Abu Laith al-Libi, in northwestern Pakistan late last month was staged by a CIA-operated drone aircraft operating without explicit⁹ Pakistani approval.

McCormack said he would have no particular comment on the newspaper account, because it involved intelligence-related activities.

But the spokesman said the Bush administration has a "good level of cooperation" with Pakistan in fighting terrorism and said the United States "respects the sovereignty" of its friends and allies.

1 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？

2 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

3 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

4 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

5 abiding   

adj.永久的，持久的，不变的

参考例句：

• He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
• He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

7 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

8 bulwark   

n.堡垒，保障，防御

参考例句：

• That country is a bulwark of freedom.那个国家是自由的堡垒。
• Law and morality are the bulwark of society.法律和道德是社会的防御工具。

9 explicit   

adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的

参考例句：

• She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
• He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。