VOA标准英语2009年-India Says Not Backing Away from Demand Pakista

India's foreign minister is insisting the government has not backed away from its demand Pakistan hand over perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks for prosecution¹ on Indian soil.

India is reiterating² that Pakistan must hand over those who had a role in planning the Mumbai terror attacks.
　
Pranab Mukherjee

This follows reports that New Delhi was willing to allow such trials solely³ to be held in Islamabad. But India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee says prosecutions⁴ must also take place here.

"The dastardly terror crimes have been committed in India," he said. "Therefore the perpetrators must face Indian justice."

Mukherjee earlier had indicated in a television interview that it would be all right for Pakistan to try suspects, if they could not be handed over to India.

Speaking to reporters Friday the foreign minister denied India has given up on its demand for extradition⁵. "There is no question of that - that we have given up this demand or we have climbed down," he said.
　
An Indian soldier takes cover as the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai burns during a gun battle between the Indian military and militants⁶ in Nov, 2008

The 60-hour siege of Mumbai, India's commercial capital, which began on November 26 left more than 170 people dead. The attackers, who came ashore⁷ by boat, attacked luxury hotels, hospitals, rail stations, a popular cafe and a Jewish outreach center.

India has in custody⁸ the lone⁹ surviving gunman, who India has tied to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group.

India wants Pakistan to extradite 40 fugitives¹⁰ suspected of various terrorist activities here, included the Mumbai attacks.

Pakistan on Thursday announced it had detained 71 members of banned groups, shut down five training camps believed connected to Lashkar and had 124 people under surveillance. But Islamabad insists the dossier presented by India linking Pakistani nationals to the Mumbai assault does not include any clear evidence to that effect.

The standoff has chilled relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors and raised speculation¹¹ there could be another armed confrontation¹² between India and Pakistan. Since gaining independence in 1947 following the end of the British raj, majority Hindu India and predominately Muslim Pakistan have fought each other three times.

Despite generals on both sides of the border expressing resolve to defend their countries at any cost, politicians and analysts¹³ here and in Pakistan have stressed there is little likelihood of war.

1 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

2 reiterating   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He keeps reiterating his innocence. 他一再申明他无罪。
• The Chinese government also sent a note to the British government, reiterating its position. 中国政府同时将此立场照会英国政府。

3 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

4 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 extradition   

n.引渡（逃犯）

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight,awaiting extradition to Britain.这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• He began to trouble concerning the extradition laws.他开始费尽心思地去想关于引渡法的问题。

6 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。

7 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

8 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

9 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

10 fugitives   

n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Three fugitives from the prison are still at large. 三名逃犯仍然未被抓获。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Members of the provisional government were prisoners or fugitives. 临时政府的成员或被捕或逃亡。 来自演讲部分

11 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

12 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

13 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。