VOA标准英语2010年-US Envoy: London Conference an Opportu

"...I found the situation in Kabul in a better situation than at any time in the year since we took office and we inherited a very difficult situation to put it bluntly." -- Ambassador Richard Holbrooke

President Barack Obama's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan says a January 28 conference in London provides an important opportunity for the U.S. and other nations to galvanize support for Afghanistan. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:

The London conference will bring together the United States and other nations supporting the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF), along with the United Nations.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as Ambassador Holbrooke will attend the meeting, which it is hoped will generate significant funding commitments and lay out a clear roadmap for non-military assistance.

Ambassador Holbrooke said that after President Obama's decision last year to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan, the time has come for all to sit down and chart a way forward to maintain momentum¹. "Following the president's December 1st announcement of the troops, it was time for the world to get together again.  We are gratefto [British Prime Minister] Gordon Brown, [Foreign Secretary] David Miliband and their government, for summoning us to London and we go with great enthusiasm."

Holbrooke's testimony² came as the U.S. State Department released a 30 page report outlining plans to maintain a robust³ multi-year civilian⁴ presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

While noting that the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan is not open-ended, the report says the U.S. will remain politically, diplomatically and economically engaged in both countries to protect enduring U.S. interests in the region.

In unusual testimony by a foreign government official, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the Senate panel that transferring lead responsibility to Afghan forces will be a critical aspect.

Calling this  a decisive moment in Afghanistan, he pointed⁵ to what he suggested could be the greatest achievement of the London conference. "The biggest deliverable of all from next week's conference is an understanding among the 70 or so foreign ministers who are attending, and also I hope the wider public, of the coherence⁶ and clarity of the plan for the future of Afghanistan."

There is significant concern in Congress and the Obama administration about rampant⁷ corruption⁸ in Afghanistan, something President Karzai is being pressed hard to address.

Saying good governance is needed in Kabul and Afghanistan's provinces, committee chairman Democrat⁹ John Kerry referred to a recent U.N. report saying corruption is costing Afghanistan $2.5 billion a year, with Afghans more concerned about this than insecurity or unemployment. "Real reform means appointing effective leaders and district level.  They and officials carryout their orders are the only point of contact that most Afghans have with their government.  A new survey by the United Nations found that one out of every two Afghans paid a bribe¹⁰ to a public official last year.  Graft¹¹ has become a part of everyday life, and that must stop," the senator said.

"It's important to recognize that the Afghan government doesn't just need to avoid being outgunned by the insurgency¹², it must not be out-governed by the insurgency either," added Foreign Secretary Miliband.

Despite the recent Taliban attacks in Kabul, Ambassador Holbrooke offered an upbeat assessment¹³ of the situation on the ground in Kabul while addressing the corruption and other issues. "I don't want to promise you that corruption will disappear tomorrow, it won't.  And President Karzai can't fix that problem on his own.   I don't want to promise you that reintegration will suddenly bring thousands and thousands of people off the battlefield.  All I can tell you senator and for the rest of the committee is that I found the situation in Kabul in a better situation than at any time in the year since we took office and we inherited a very difficult situation to put it bluntly," he said.

Ranking committee Republican Senator Richard Lugar said the London conference must produce results after years of disconnected and uncoordinated development efforts. "The London conference is a crucial opportunity for President Karzai to improve cooperation with international efforts in his country while recognizing his own responsibility to enable reform.  He must find the means to consolidate¹⁴ disparate influences within his own government in the pursuit of national development," he said.

The Obama administration hopes next week's London conference will generate funds to support the Afghan government's reintegration plans, along with the clear and coherent plan Foreign Secretary Miliband urged in Thursday's hearing. 

Ambassador Holbrooke said the London Conference will be followed by an international conference in Kabul later this year at which the Afghan government would formally present commitments to the people of Afghanistan.

1 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

2 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

3 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

4 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 coherence   

n.紧凑；连贯；一致性

参考例句：

• There was no coherence between the first and the second half of the film.这部电影的前半部和后半部没有连贯性。
• Environmental education is intended to give these topics more coherence.环境教育的目的是使这些课题更加息息相关。

7 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

8 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。

9 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

10 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

11 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

12 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

13 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

14 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。