VOA标准英语2008年-Zimbabwe Talks Drag On

The leader of Zimbabwe's smaller opposition¹ faction² says negotiations³ on the country's political crisis are a three-way affair and no one party can sign a settlement deal with another. Peta Thornycroft reports from Harare.
　
Arthur Mutambara (14 April 2007 file photo)

The leader of the smaller faction of the Movement for Democratic Change, Arthur Mutambara, says reports in the state-run media that he has signed a deal with the ruling ZANU-PF are not true.

Mutambara says the negotiations were set up following the signing of a memorandum⁴ of understanding last month between his party, Morgan Tsvangirai's larger MDC and President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF.

He said therefore that a deal was only possible if it is signed by all three leaders, Mr. Mugabe, Mr. Tsvangirai, and himself.
　
S. African President Thabo Mbeki comes out of Rainbow Towers hotel in Harare where he was facilitating talks between ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations, 13 Aug 2008

South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been trying to mediate⁵ a resolution to the crisis, left Zimbabwe for Angola to report to Southern African Development Community head Eduardo dos Santos. Mr. Mbeki says there has been no breakdown⁶ in the talks.

"There is no break down and as everybody has said, I will talk to all of the negotiators and reconvene them," he said.

Mr. Mbeki said he would continue to push for a solution to the crisis, even if it takes six months.

Arthur Mutambara says Zimbabwe is at a crossroads and that the country's leadership must be up to the challenge to find a settlement to begin to end the humanitarian⁷ crisis which he said was engulfing⁸ the country. He said the leaders must put national interest before self-interest.

Mutambara said he hoped all three leaders would attend the summit of the Southern African Development community in South Africa this weekend.

He said he hoped a deal could be reached before then.

 

1 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。

2 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。

3 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。

4 memorandum   

n.备忘录，便笺

参考例句：

• The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
• The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。

5 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

6 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

8 engulfing   

adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了，使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句