VOA标准英语2008年-French, Russian Leaders to Discuss Georgia Cris

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to hold talks in Moscow Tuesday with his Russian counterpart in a bid to find a solution to the conflict in Georgia. Lisa Bryant reports from Paris the trip comes as European Union foreign ministers are set for a crisis meeting Wednesday on the situation.
　
Nicolas Sarkozy

President Nicolas Sarkozy's trip to Russia comes after Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told reporters he had accepted an international ceasefire proposal over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia. Mr. Saakashvili also said Mr. Sarkozy will be holding talks with him in Georgia, as well as with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev in Moscow. The French president will also speak on behalf of the European Union, which France currently heads.

The international community has sounded the alarm over the sharp clashes between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia, which has also spilled into other parts of Georgia, including Abkhazia, another breakaway territory.

The European Commission called Monday for an immediate¹ halt to Russian military activity in Georgia. French and Finnish foreign ministers were also in Georgia Monday and were planning to hold talks in Moscow, to take stock of the situation.

Tomas Valasek, defense² and foreign policy director at the Centre for European Reform in London, says mediation³ by the 27-member block can have an effect.

"The EU has influence over Russia. Russia does want to be accepted as a legitimate⁴ member of the international community. It is, of course a member of the G8, the UN Security Council. It wants to be a member of the World Trade Organization. It wants to have special, privileged relations with the EU and with NATO. So it does care about what the world thinks," said Valasek.

Valasek says Europe should send one message in particular.

"It needs to emphasize to Russia that it [should not] use the conflict over South Ossetia and now Abkhazia to wage a bigger, broader conflict against Georgia itself. And again, we do have influence to make sure that doesn't happen," added Valasek.

EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels Wednesday for more talks on the conflict in Georgia.

 

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

4 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。