VOA标准英语2008年-Significant Milestones Promised at S. Asia Regi

India's foreign minister says South Asian heads of government will achieve several significant milestones¹ during their two-day summit, including a legal assistance treaty intended to combat cross-border terrorism. But Pakistan's foreign minister, in a rare criticism from a top official of a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, says the agenda falls far short of what the group should be doing. VOA correspondent Steve Herman in Colombo has details.

Ministers of the eight countries composing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation say they have a tremendous responsibility as they represent more than 20 percent of the world's population. They also note their people compose 40 percent of those living in poverty on the planet and they need to do for in terms of food security, energy resources and reducing poverty.

Seeking to shed its image as a forum² for talking but lacking in action, heads of government during the summit Saturday and Sunday here are set to adopt what Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee terms four important frameworks.

"Mutual³ legal aid treaty amongst all SAARC countries, launching a SAARC development fund, having uniform standards [and] having a SAARC university - South Asian University," he said. "These we we're talking of for quite some time but now these are going to be the reality."

The legal assistance pact⁴ would set up a system to share information about criminals to combat regional terrorism. The development fund is aimed at fighting poverty and is to total $300 million. The uniform product standards would hopefully boost the still anemic level of cross-border trade among SAARC members. And the new higher education institute, with an international faculty⁵, is touted⁶ to open in 2010 in New Delhi with 5,000 students.

Compared to what SAARC has achieved since the first summit in 1985, these would be significant achievements. But Pakistan's foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, is clearly impatient with SAARC's pace for the early 21st century.

"SAARC represents 1.5 billion people of Asia," he said. "It's an important organization of Asia. Are we ready for that challenge? Is the spirit of SAARC reflecting the challenge of a new era? In my opinion, no."

Besides India and Pakistan and this year's host Sri Lanka, SAARC is composed of Afghanistan (which is the group's newest member), Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal.

Summit agendas are frequently overshadowed by the sidelines meetings in which the heads of government, many of which do not enjoy warm mutual relations, get a rare opportunity to speak privately⁷. This year is no exception with the spotlight⁸ again on how the leaders of India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars in 60 years, will interact.

 

 

1 milestones   

n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑

参考例句：

• Several important milestones in foreign policy have been passed by this Congress and they can be chalked up as major accomplishments. 这次代表大会通过了对外政策中几起划时代的事件，并且它们可作为主要成就记录下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dale: I really envy your milestones over the last few years, Don. 我真的很羡慕你在过去几年中所建立的丰功伟绩。 来自互联网

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 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

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 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

6 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

7 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

8 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。