German FinMin urges Greek opposition to back reforms

 　　BERLIN, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble on Monday urged visiting Greek opposition¹ leader Alexis Tsipras to support austerity measures and economic reforms.

　　Schaeuble told Tsipras, a critic of the German-backed austerity measures, that there was no alternative to the implementation² of the economic adjustment program and urged him to support the reforms carried out by the current Greek government led by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, according to local news reports quoting a finance ministry³ source.

　　A ministry spokeswoman said earlier that Schaeuble believed the success of the Greek reform was important and "should be supported by all political forces," adding that Tsipras requested the meeting with Schaeuble.

　　Tsipras heads Greece's main opposition radical⁴ left SYRIZA coalition⁵, which is performing well in Greek public opinion polls. He told Deutsche Welle in an interview on Sunday that the austerity measures are crushing the Greek economy and hurting workers, urging international lenders to revise the harsh terms put on Greece in return for bailouts.

　　Enduring five years of recession, Greece was asked to make tough austerity reforms in exchange for bailout from its international creditors⁶.

　　The German government insists on Athens' commitment to austerity and reform measures, but both Chancellor⁷ Angela Merkel and Schaeuble have said they wanted Greece to remain in the eurozone.

1 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。

2 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 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》

7 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。