VOA标准英语2011--France, Germany Show Solidarity on Greek

France, Germany Show Solidarity¹ on Greek Economy

The leaders of France and Germany signaled Friday they want to find a quick solution to the economic crisis in Greece. In Greece, the prime minister reshuffled his Cabinet and replaced his finance minister.
Speaking in Berlin, German Chancellor² Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the stability of Europe's single currency, the euro, is their top priority.
Greece, a nation in the eurozone and part of the single currency, is in major debt. It needs a multi-billion-dollar loan from its euro neighbors in order to avoid defaulting on that debt.
France and Germany had been at odds³ over whether private holders⁴ of Greek bonds should be involved in a Greek rescue package.
But on Friday, Merkel said the two countries were on the same page. She said that private investors⁵ should participate only on a voluntary basis. She added that mandatory⁶ participation⁷ does not have a legal basis.
Analysts⁸ say this is a softening⁹ of Germany's position, which they say had been leaning towards forcing losses on private creditors¹⁰.
President Sarkozy said Friday that France and Germany are committed to defending the euro. He added that their program has to be put in place quickly.
It is a sign that European countries may be moving closer to a deal to help Greece out of its immediate¹¹ financial straits.
But Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the U.S.-based research group the Center for Economic and Policy Research, says a bailout in its current form is not going to help Greece in the long run.
"Greece needs to get out from under a big part of that debt, a big part," said Weisbrot. "Because otherwise, if you have a settlement and there is just a restructuring that allows some payments to be made later and none of the principles to be reduced, for example, then you're just going to end up in the same situation a year or two down the road."
The European Union and the International Monetary¹² Fund (IMF) have made tough austerity measures a condition of any bailout.
Those measures are adding to social unrest in Greece and putting major political pressure on the leading Socialist¹³ party. On Friday, a new finance minister was appointed amid a reshuffle of the Cabinet.
And on Wednesday, tens of thousands of people turned out in the streets to protest against tax hikes and spending cuts.
Weisbrot says austerity is not the key to improving Greece's economic situation, and, in his opinion, Greek citizens are right to battle the policy.
"I think what they're doing right now is important," Weisbrot added. "They're in the streets and that's where the only pressure is coming from. And I think they should demand that their government not accept any terms that doesn't get the economy growing immediately."
The IMF said Friday that sovereign debt troubles in Greece and other eurozone countries are putting the global economic recovery at risk.
Speaking in San Paulo, Brazil, the IMF's research director, Olivier Blanchard, said policymakers have to act now to make the financial system more robust¹⁴.

1 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

2 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

3 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

4 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

5 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

6 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

7 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 softening   

变软，软化

参考例句：

• Her eyes, softening, caressed his face. 她的眼光变得很温柔了。它们不住地爱抚他的脸。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• He might think my brain was softening or something of the kind. 他也许会觉得我婆婆妈妈的，已经成了个软心肠的人了。

10 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

13 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

14 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。