VOA标准英语2008年-India Hopes Musharraf Resignation Will Not Impa

In India, Pervez Musharraf, who has resigned as Pakistan's President, is seen as the man who helped bring a measure of normalcy to relations between the rivals. But As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, there is uncertainty¹ whether the gains made under Musharraf will survive under Pakistan's civilian² government.
　
Pervez Musharraf, (14 Aug 2008 file photo)

When India and Pakistan launched a peace process four years ago, President Pervez Musharraf was firmly in charge of the country.

In those years, relations between New Delhi and Islamabad improved to a level not witnessed since 1947 when they became independent from Britain.

The South Asian rivals put in place a truce³ along the volatile⁴ border in Kashmir, the divided region which is the source of friction⁵ between them. They opened up their tight borders to new rail and road links, renewed sporting contacts, and annual trade increased.

Musharraf instrumental in negotiating peace with India

A strategic analyst⁶ in New Delhi, retired⁷ General Ashok Mehta, says Mr. Musharraf's tight grip on the country's powerful army and spy agency made it possible for him to negotiate peace with India.

"He was virtually the prime minister, the president and the army chief, and therefore he exercised enormous control," Mehta noted⁸. "And it was because of that that he was able to set aside many old problems with India."

History of mistrust between India, Pakistan

It is not as if there was always great trust between New Delhi and President Musharraf. Months before he seized power in an army coup⁹, the army under his charge had supported an attempt by Islamic militants¹⁰ to seize territory from India in Kashmir.

But once peace talks began, India believed that Mr. Musharraf was a man who could deliver. In fact, many analysts¹¹ blame New Delhi for being too slow in responding to attempts by President Musharraf to reach an agreement to the Kashmir dispute.

Will Musharraf departure leave vacuum for New Delhi?

On Monday, when Mr. Musharraf announced he would resign, New Delhi made no comment, calling it Pakistan's internal matter. But Indian policymakers worry that dealing¹² with a weak civilian government in Pakistan may be much more difficult. India's National Security Adviser¹³ recently told an interviewer that President Musharraf's battle with his political foes¹⁴ had "left a bit of vacuum" for New Delhi.

Strategic analyst Mehta fears that gains made in recent years may be reversed.

"We are back about four or five years now in the peace process, because we do not know who is in charge in Pakistan," he said. "That is the biggest problem. We don't the future of the coalition¹⁵, so as far as India-Pakistan relations are concerned, will be in a bind¹⁶."

Other analysts say Pakistan alone is not to blame for any slowing in the peace process.

Future of peace process uncertain

Independent political analyst, Prem Shankar Jha, points out that recent anti-India protests in Kashmir, triggered by a land dispute between Hindus and Muslims, have complicated the situation.

"First and foremost India has its own problems in Kashmir which are very, very much not of Pakistan's making," Jha said. "Given that these problems exist, there will be no more possibility of talking to Pakistan until we got some kind of peace in Kashmir."

With India also bracing¹⁷ for elections next year, analysts see little likelihood of progress in the peace process between the rivals in the months ahead.

 

1 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

4 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

5 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

10 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

11 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

12 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

13 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

14 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

15 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。

16 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

17 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。