VOA标准英语2010年-New Negotiations Aim at Cyprus Reunifi

Leaders of the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus are starting a new series of negotiations¹ aimed at re-unifying the divided island. 

Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet-Ali Talat have begun a series of three-day sessions to attempt to hammer out differences between the two communities.

Most political observers say the fact that the two leaders are increasing their meetings does not imply that any real progress has been made since talks started in late 2008.

Rather, they say it reflects United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon's determination to keep the talks going - even though prospects² for a successful outcome seem unlikely.

Alexander Downer, the Australian diplomat³ acting⁴ as the U.N. special representative on the island, under whose auspices⁵ the talks are being staged, expressed optimism the talks will be productive.

"I can only tell you that what we the United Nations look to is the two sides having open and very frank discussions about all of the facets⁶ of governance and power sharing and that is what is happening and so we are happy with the way the two leaders are conducting the negotiations," he said.

Since the resumption of the talks, the United Nations has hailed what it calls the "progress" achieved so far and the common ground between the parties.  However, few details of these achievements have been made public.

There is now an added element of urgency to these talks as Mehmet-Ali Talat, who favors reunification and membership of the EU for all Cyprus will stand for re-election in April.

Opinion polls in the Turkish controlled north suggest Mr. Talat will be defeated by hardliners, who are unhappy with the talks and want a two-state solution and not the bi-zonal, bi-communal federation⁷ now being negotiated.

Mr. Talat is deeply unpopular in northern Cyprus, where unemployment is high and the population depends solely⁸ on Turkey for financial and military support.

In recent days, Greek Cypriot government partners and opposition⁹ parties have cast even deeper gloom over the talks, with most party leaders publicly stating they think the process will fail.

The representatives of the two sides are now engaged in intensive negotiations, however, tackling only two major themes at each meeting.

The two leaders have held 60 meetings since September 2008, and will resume talks in ten days.

The United Nations included a Cyprus peace deal in its Millennium¹⁰ Development Goals, saying they would pursue peace with "vigor¹¹."

Turkey's bid to join the European Union hinges on a peace deal in Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the northern part of the island in response to a military coup¹² that was backed by the Greek government. 

South Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004 and the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey.

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 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

3 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 auspices   

n.资助，赞助

参考例句：

• The association is under the auspices of Word Bank.这个组织是在世界银行的赞助下办的。
• The examination was held under the auspices of the government.这次考试是由政府主办的。

6 facets   

n.（宝石或首饰的）小平面( facet的名词复数 )；（事物的）面；方面

参考例句：

• The question had many facets. 这个问题是多方面的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A fully cut brilliant diamond has 68 facets. 经过充分切刻的光彩夺目的钻石有68个小平面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

8 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。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

11 vigor   

n.活力，精力，元气

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

12 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。