VOA标准英语2009年-US Warns Honduras of Cascade of Consequenc

The United States is warning Honduras that there will be a cascade¹ of negative consequences for the Central American state if the coup² that ousted³ elected President Manuel Zelaya on Sunday is not reversed. The Obama administration is backing mediation⁴ on the situation by the Organization of American States, the OAS.
　
Ousted Honduran Pres. Manuel Zelaya speaks at an Organization of American States meeting in Washington 01 Jul 2009

Officials here say the removal of President Zelaya was unconstitutional, illegal and cannot be tolerated, and they say the country faces severe penalties from its hemispheric neighbors if the ousted leader is not restored.

A senior Obama administration official who briefed State Department reporters said if the coup is not reversed within 72 hours, as the regional body demanded late Tuesday, it would clearly mean the expulsion of Honduras from the OAS. He said that would trigger a cascade of events in which Honduras would find itself thrown out of many components⁵ of the inter-American system.

He said that given how interconnected the region is, Honduras can isolate⁶, and hurt itself, in as he put it, some pretty dramatic ways.

The United States had tried to mediate⁷ in the simmering dispute that led to the coup, centering on what Mr. Zelaya's opponents saw as an effort to remain in power even though obligated by term limits to leave office in January.

But the Obama administration was quick to condemn⁸ his ouster by the military, and replacement⁹ with an interim¹⁰ government led by Roberto Micheletti, as an illegal coup.

The senior official said despite the complaints against Mr. Zelaya at home, the United States wants his unconditional¹¹ return to power with all powers and privileges of office.

The official also commended Mr. Zelaya for what he said was his wise decision to postpone¹² returning home to give time for OAS diplomacy¹³, which State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said earlier Wednesday is showing some progress.
　
State Deptartment Spokesman Ian Kelly (File)

"I think this is an important moment for the OAS, for the principles of the states of the Western Hemisphere, the democratic principles," said Ian Kelly. "And we believe the best way to work through this is through this OAS process. And we're seeing great progress through the OAS. And I think we should just give this process a chance to play out. The multi-lateral route is the way to go."

Unlike Spain and several other concerned countries, the United States has not recalled its ambassador from Tegucigalpa, stressing the need to keep channels of communication open with the Honduran people.

The Pentagon has cut off military contacts with Honduras but the State Department says it is still involved in a legal review of a cut-off of U.S. aid to Honduras, with officials saying privately¹⁴ that they hoped an early reversal of the coup would obviate¹⁵ the need for such a step.

An act of Congress requires a cut-off of most U.S. aid to countries where elected governments are unseated by the military.

1 cascade   

n.小瀑布，喷流；层叠；vi.成瀑布落下

参考例句：

• She watched the magnificent waterfall cascade down the mountainside.她看着壮观的瀑布从山坡上倾泻而下。
• Her hair fell over her shoulders in a cascade of curls.她的卷发像瀑布一样垂在肩上。

2 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。

3 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

4 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。

5 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

6 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

7 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。

8 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

9 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

10 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

11 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

12 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

13 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

14 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

15 obviate   

v.除去，排除，避免，预防

参考例句：

• Improved public transportation would obviate the need tor everyone to have their own car.公共交通的改善消除了每人都要有车的必要性。
• This deferral would obviate pressure on the rouble exchange rate.这一延期将消除卢布汇率面临的压力。