VOA常速英语2008年-US Lawmakers Urge Tolerance in Kosovo, Serbia

By Dan Robinson
Washington
12 March 2008

Members of the U.S. Congress say the leaders of newly-independent Kosovo, as well as the country's Serbian minority and the government in Serbia, must work to ensure ethnic¹ tolerance² and protection. VOA's Dan Robinson has a report.

Lawmakers are concerned both that the Kosovo government follows through with commitments it has made to protect ethnic minorities, and that Serbia pursue a course that will not encourage unrest.

Congressman³ Howard Berman, the new Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says the government in Kosovo and the one in Serbia under newly-elected Boris Tadic both share a responsibility.

"The international community, particularly the NATO Kosovo force, should continue to send strong and unambiguous signals that the minority communities can count on their protection. The Serbian minority must be allowed to prosper⁵ and participate in the new country. While we recognize the immense pain that the resolution of Kosovo's final status has caused for many Serbs, it was shameful⁶ to see the U.S. embassy in Belgrade in flames while Serbian police officers were idle bystanders watching the fire," he said.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said recognition of Kosovo was an exception to the rule of discouraging secession.

He described Kosovo's leadership as focused on building its new country, and committed to protecting Serbian rights. "I can report to you that the Kosovo leaders with whom I met conveyed to me their intention to see that [U.N. special envoy⁷ on Kosovo Martti] Ahtissari's provisions, including the rights and privileges for the Serb community in Kosovo, are respected," he said.

Fried said U.S. and international financial support for Kosovo's economy will be crucial adding that ensuring peace in the new country will be, in his words, a long term challenge.

Eliot Engel, a Democrat⁴ from New York, said neither U.N. nor Serbian control was a workable alternative to an independent Kosovo, adding that Serbia and its people must make an important decision. "The ball is in Serbia's court. Will they keep looking backwards⁸ to alliances to Russia and fight wars of 1389 or 1999 or will they look forward and be part of the European Union and the 21st century?," he said.

"I am concerned and I have been concerned for 28 years as a member of Congress, first about the Kosovar Albanians and the breach⁹ of their human rights which occurred systematically¹⁰, and now the Serbs," said Chris Smith, a New Jersey¹¹ Republican.

On Wednesday, U.N. authorities told Serbia to stop interfering¹² in Serb areas of Kosovo.

February's independence declaration by Kosovo's 90 percent Albanian majority was recognized by more than 30 countries, including the U.S. and 15 European Union states, with others preparing to recognize it. Spain, Greece, Slovakia, Romania and Cyprus refused. U.N. Security Council members Russia and China withheld¹³ recognition.

Assistant Secretary Fried said he has no reason to believe that Serbs will engage in what he called the most provocative¹⁴ behaviors, adding the hope that the parliamentary election campaign in Serbia will be about its future in Europe rather than self-isolation.

Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says the U.S. and key allies must be prepared if trouble comes. "We need to be certain that our European allies will provide additional troops for Kosovo if such troops are needed," he said.

House foreign affairs chairman Berman expressed hope that the re-election of former Serbian president Boris is a sign that Serbs there do want what he called a Western-oriented future.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

3 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

6 shameful   

adj.可耻的，不道德的

参考例句：

• It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。
• We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

7 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

8 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

9 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

10 systematically   

adv.有系统地

参考例句：

• This government has systematically run down public services since it took office.这一屆政府自上台以来系统地削减了公共服务。
• The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.雨林正被系统地毀灭。

11 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

12 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

13 withheld   

withhold过去式及过去分词

参考例句：

• I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。