VOA标准英语2009年-WTO: Successful Conclusion of Doha Round M

The World Trade Organization says the global economic troubles make it more important than ever to successfully conclude the Doha Development Round of trade negotiations¹. The WTO says a free-trade agreement is possible by the end of next year.

Meetings to revive the failed Doha Round are gathering² steam here in Geneva. The World Trade Organization says it has received renewed political commitments from heads of state and trade ministers to conclude an agreement by the end of 2010.
　
World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy (2008 file photo)

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy says the months ahead will be a busy period for the organization's 153 member states to press ahead with the Doha negotiations and to move them to a speedy conclusion.

"We all know this crisis is unprecedented³ in its width, in its depth, in its global impact," he said. "We must act collectively to send the right signals and establish an appropriate trading environment for a sustainable recovery for all."

When the Doha Round collapsed⁴ three years ago, world trade was buoyant and it appeared as if the good economic times would continue. The story now is very different. WTO economists⁵ predict world trade will shrink by 10 percent this year - something which has not happened since World War II.

WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell tells VOA it is increasingly recognized that trade has been a victim of the economic crisis. He also says trade will be an important tool for lifting the world out of the current situation.

"Through the market opening that will come through this round, this will be in effect a global tax cut of about $150 billion. These kinds of things can be important stimulus⁶ of the economic recovery," he said.

Rockwell says people, by in large, have resisted taking high intensity⁷ protectionist measures, because they are aware that trade is contracting and such measures would hurt the economy and hamper⁸ the recovery.

"Despite that, there is a lot of pressure in almost every country - domestic pressure for more protectionism. Now, one way to keep trade open is to keep opening trade and that is what the Doha Round would do. What we need to do now is to translate this very strong show of political support into action at the negotiating table here in Geneva," he said.

The negotiations will not be easy. The problems that scuttled⁹ the last agreement are complex and remain to be resolved. Major disagreements about access to each other's markets continue to divide the rich nations from the poor ones.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

5 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

7 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

8 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

9 scuttled   

v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走

参考例句：

• She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice. 听到他的说话声，她赶紧跑开了。
• The thief scuttled off when he saw the policeman. 小偷看见警察来了便急忙跑掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》