VOA标准英语2009年-US, Germany Press Afghan President on Refo

By David Gollust
Berlin
09 November 2009

 
A US armored personal carrier drives past a defaced election poster of Afghan Pres. Hamid Karzai in Kabul (File)
The United States and Germany say the new Afghan government being formed by President Hamid Karzai needs to embrace reforms and curb¹ corruption² if it is to enjoy broader international support. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed Afghanistan with German Chancellor³ Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on the sidelines of observances marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. 

The Obama administration and the new German government that took office late last month are reviewing their military commitments in Afghanistan and both are serving notice on President Karzai that they expect major reforms now that his new term in office has been assured.

The issue dominated Secretary Clinton's talks with Chancellor Merkel and her new Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle. 

 
US Sec. of State Hillary Clinton (L) and German FM Guido Westerwelle (R) at joint⁴ a press conference in Berlin, 09 Nov 2009
Secretary Clinton and her German counterpart made clear at a joint press event that they expect Mr. Karzai to try to broaden his government and tackle the country's well-documented corruption problems.

Westerwelle, who was in Washington for talks with Secretary Clinton last week, said Afghanistan needs a government that represents all its people and one that adheres to the "yardsticks⁵" of good governance.

Clinton said the United States and NATO allies are not in Afghanistan for altruistic⁶ reasons, but rather to counter a real security threat from what she termed a "syndicate of terrorism" led, funded and inspired by al-Qaida.

She said commitments of additional troops must be met by greater efforts by Mr. Karzai to improve governance.

"Any commitment by the governments and people of the United States, Germany and others who have joined with us, through both NATO and the international forces, has to be met by an even greater commitment on behalf of the new government of President Karzai to deliver services for the people of Afghanistan, to begin the effort to root out corruption, to have more accountability and transparency in the way the government operates," she aid.

President Obama has been deliberating over military proposals to boost U.S. strength in Afghanistan by as many as 40,000 troops, while the future of Germany's troop presence in Afghanistan was a key issue in the September elections that returned Chancellor Merkel to power.

Foreign Minister Westerwelle, heard through an interpreter, said Germany's priority is helping⁷ the Afghan government become capable of defending itself.

"We do want to make sure that Afghanistan is self-sufficient regarding security. And if we want this, then we have to make sure that Afghanistan has its own security infrastructure⁸, that that system is there and we want to help build it," he said. "This is an important contribution that we can make. We discussed this as well, and this is also fully⁹ in line with my personal statements and the policies of the new government," said Westerwelle.

Germany currently has about 4,200 troops in Afghanistan, positioned mainly in the relatively-peaceful northern part of the country and focused on training missions. The new government has said it will take a fresh look at troop numbers early next year.

1 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

4 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

5 yardsticks   

比较或衡量的标准，尺度( yardstick的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Your success in life can be measured by many yardsticks. 你在生活方面的成功是可以用许多标准来衡量的。
• Common yardsticks for measuring success are cost, choice, performance, and security. 判断一个操作系统是否成功的通用尺度包括成本、普及度、性能和安全性。

6 altruistic   

adj.无私的，为他人着想的

参考例句：

• It is superficial to be altruistic without feeling compassion.无慈悲之心却说利他，是为表面。
• Altruistic spirit should be cultivated by us vigorously.利他的精神是我们应该努力培养的。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。