VOA标准英语2009年-No-Shows Dominate AU Summit Meeting

The opening session of the 13th African Union summit in Libya has been marked as much by what didn't happen as by what did. A scheduled appearance by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was abruptly¹ cancelled.

The substance of this summit on Libya's Mediterranean² seacoast has been largely overshadowed by the personalities³ attending, and those who are not.

News on the eve of the meeting was that Iran's President Ahmedinejad had been invited. On opening day, the headline was that Mr. Ahmedinejad had abruptly cancelled because of what were called program priorities.

Some western and African diplomats⁴ are known to have privately⁵ expressed annoyance⁶ at the Iranian leaders' attendance, saying it would have been a distraction⁷ from the summit's important business.
　
Moammar Gadhafi speaks during 21st summit of NEPAD (New Partnership⁸ for Africa's Development) Steering⁹ Committee in Syrte, 30 Jun 2009

The host, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi made no mention of Mr. Ahmedinejad's absence in his brief opening address. Instead, he issued a call to Caribbean countries to join the union, saying their people are Africans.

Other big name cancellations included Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Among those who did show up to share the spotlight¹⁰ with Mr. Gadhafi were Brazil's President Lula de Silva, who took advantage of the occasion to denounce the coup¹¹ in Honduras. African notables included Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and South African President Jacob Zuma.

The scene prompted some commentators¹² to recall the bad old days when the AU's predecessor¹³, the Organization of African Unity¹⁴, was known as the Club of Dictators. But veteran AU observer Kenneth Mpyisi of the Institute of Strategic Studies says despite the appearance, the majority of members remain committed, at least in principle, to democratic values.

"When you really look deeper at what the AU is doing and what is happening at the regional economic community level, though the progress has not been what we might have expected a number of years ago, it has changed, and it is a work in progress, and next year this time we might be talking about the next summit within a very different context if we are looking at the political leadership of the day," he said.

There was news during the day. A statement announced the lifting of sanctions against Mauritania. The AU Peace and Security Council had imposed the sanctions, and suspended Mauritania's membership in the union last August, after the army overthrew¹⁵ the elected president.

This three-day summit is due to address other continental¹⁶ hot spots where the outcome remains¹⁷ in doubt. Among them are Somalia, where the transitional government is under siege by hardline Islamic rebels, Guinea and Guinea Bissau, Madagascar and Darfur.

Mpyisi says the union is a mixed bag of failed states, countries struggling with democracy, and success stories. "Earlier this year we were talking about the successes of Ghana, Botswana had successful elections, Zambia which had successful elections. When you have others countries which we have already mentioned, and their problems. The real issue lies in how much attention and how much consistency¹⁸ and perseverance¹⁹ we put in strengthening democratic institutions because what we are seeing is we are paying the price for not having paid enough attention to the issues we know are very significant, which is governance and developing and strengthening democratic institutions," he said.

The summit's mostly closed door sessions are taking up several thorny²⁰ issues, among them a proposal to create an African Defense²¹ Council. Establishment of the council would be a step toward Mr. Gadhafi's concept of a united Africa.

Diplomats say heads of state are sharply divided over the issue. But those in favor and those opposed seem to agree on one thing: the matter must be settled quickly so it doesn't hang over the AU agenda, taking up valuable time at summits for years to come.

1 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

2 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

3 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

7 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

8 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

9 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

10 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

11 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。

12 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

14 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

15 overthrew   

overthrow的过去式

参考例句：

• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
• They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。

16 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

17 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

18 consistency   

n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度

参考例句：

• Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。
• We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。

19 perseverance   

n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠

参考例句：

• It may take some perseverance to find the right people.要找到合适的人也许需要有点锲而不舍的精神。
• Perseverance leads to success.有恒心就能胜利。

20 thorny   

adj.多刺的，棘手的

参考例句：

• The young captain is pondering over a thorny problem.年轻的上尉正在思考一个棘手的问题。
• The boys argued over the thorny points in the lesson.孩子们辩论功课中的难点。

21 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。