VOA标准英语2008年-Palestinian, Israeli Leaders Call for Larger EU

Palestinian and Israeli leaders have declared their commitment to peace before a Mediterranean¹ summit in Paris. Lisa Bryant reports for VOA both sides have called for Europe to play a bigger role in the Middle East peace process.
　
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and Israel's PM Ehud Olmert in Paris, 13 Jul 2008

Flanked by Israeli and Palestinian leaders, French President Nicolas Sarkozy described Sunday's Euro-Mediterranean summit in Paris as an historic event because it gathered almost all the Arab heads of state along with the Israeli Prime Minister.

Mr. Sarkozy told reporters that obviously did not mean all the problems in the Middle East were resolved. But the gathering² mirrored the objectives of the new Mediterranean partnership³ - in which members could learn to like each other rather than to make war.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas scheduled discussions before the afternoon summit, in which more than 40 heads of state launched a new pact⁴ between the European Union and non-European Mediterranean states.

Although there have been few developments in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations⁵ in recent months, both leaders said they were committed to peace.

Olmert described the talks as very serious. Never had the two sides been so close to an accord, he said. Both Israeli and Arab leaders have called for the European Union to play a larger role in the Middle East peace process.

Mr. Sarkozy says that will be one of his priorities during France's six-month term as president of the European Union, which began this month.

　

 

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

5 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。