VOA标准英语2008年-US says Burma Out of Step on Human Rights, Demo

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has criticized Burma's military government for being out of step with its southeast Asian neighbors on rule of law, human rights, and democracy. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Singapore Rice spoke¹ to ministers attending a Southeast Asia security forum².

The meeting brought together ministers from 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, who talked about issues including a brewing³ border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia and disaster preparedness in the wake of Cyclone⁴ Nargis in Burma.

But it was the matter of politics that overshadowed discussions on the impoverished⁵, military-ruled country, which is a member of ASEAN. The group is usually reluctant to criticize Burma's generals, but ASEAN chair George Yeo, Singapore's foreign minister, said ministers at the meeting had raised concerns about the generals' continued house arrest of opposition⁶ leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"On her detention⁷, we expressed our deep disappointment and asked for her early release, of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners," he said.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking on the sidelines of the forum, said Burma is out of step with its fellow ASEAN members who aspire⁸ to the rule of law, human rights, and the development of pluralistic political systems.

Rice also expressed concerns about developments in Malaysia, another ASEAN member, where authorities have put an opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, under investigation⁹ for sodomy. Anwar was at the forefront of a major election upset that dealt Malaysia's long-ruling coalition¹⁰ the biggest loss of its history last March. The top U.S. diplomat¹¹ urged Malaysia to ensure a transparent¹² investigation, one that adheres to the rule of law.

Also on the ASEAN ministers' agenda was a brewing conflict along the border of Thailand and Cambodia. The two countries have been preparing for possible attacks stemming from a dispute over access to an ancient temple that sits on the border.

ASEAN chairman George Yeo said some ministers opposed Cambodia's decision to take the matter to the U.N. Security Council.

"It should not have to go to the U.N. Security council," he said. "It was not a problem just a few weeks ago. It has suddenly become a problem. Why has it become a problem?"

Yeo called Cambodia's action premature¹³ and said the dispute should be handled within the region.

Looming¹⁴ large at the security meeting was the North Korean nuclear issue. Secretary Rice held a rare meeting Wednesday with her North Korean counterpart as part of a gathering¹⁵ of six-party nuclear negotiations¹⁶ that also include China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, on the sidelines of the forum.

Thursday, the U.S. official said it is now up to North Korea move the process along by accepting verification of its nuclear activities. Rice said the declaration the North made last month on plutonium production and other activities has left questions that need to be answered. A spokesman for the North Korean delegation¹⁷ said all issues, including verification, can be resolved if the U.S. delivers on its promises, in keeping with the principle of action for action.

North Korea has agreed to dismantle¹⁸ its nuclear program in exchange for food and fuel aid. Washington has also promised to remove Pyongyang from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

 

 

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

3 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

4 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

5 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

8 aspire   

vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于

参考例句：

• Living together with you is what I aspire toward in my life.和你一起生活是我一生最大的愿望。
• I aspire to be an innovator not a follower.我迫切希望能变成个开创者而不是跟随者。

9 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

10 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。

11 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

12 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

13 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

14 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

15 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。

16 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。

17 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

18 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。