安理会未通过对乌克兰决议

 　　安理会未通过对乌克兰决议

　　UNITED NATIONS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Saturday failed to adopt a draft resolution on Ukraine, which otherwise would declare the March 16 referendum on the status of the Russian-speaking Crimea "can have no validity," and urge nations and international organizations not to recognize it.

　　Russia, one of the five permanent Security Council members, voted against the draft resolution drawn¹ up by the United States and backed by Western countries. China, also a permanent Security Council member, abstained².

　　The Russian veto came as no surprise.

　　UN Security Council fails to adopt Ukraine resolution

　　Vitaly Churkin, the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations, told the 15-nation council before the vote that " We will respect the will of the Crimean people during the March 16 referendum," which will decide whether Ukraine's southern autonomous³ republic of Crimea should break away from Ukraine and join Russia.

　　"This referendum can have no validity, and cannot form the basis for any alteration⁴ of the status of Crimea," the draft resolution said, calling on "all states, international organizations and specialized⁵ agencies not to recognize any alteration of the status of Crimea on the basis of this referendum. "

　　The draft also noted⁶ that the referendum was not supported by the interim⁷ government of Ukraine, which came to power after the ouster of Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych in February and is not recognized by Russia.

　　The Russian veto came after a Friday meeting in London between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the Ukrainian crisis made no progress.

　　Simmering tensions in Ukraine cause increasing international concerns as the West threatens to impose further sanctions against Russia and Moscow has deployed⁸ several jet fighters in Belarus to encounter possible NATO activities.

　　The tensions escalated⁹ Thursday when a pro-Kiev protester was reportedly killed in the southeastern city of Donetsk, marking the first death since the focal point moved from Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, to Crimea in the south.

　　The international community on Friday expressed concern about Sunday's referendum in Crimea.

　　"It is clear that we are at a crossroads" in the Ukraine crisis and "if positions continue to harden and rhetoric¹⁰ continues to sharpen, there is a great risk of a dangerous downward spiral," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

1 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

2 abstained   

v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票）

参考例句：

• Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
• They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

4 alteration   

n.变更，改变；蚀变

参考例句：

• The shirt needs alteration.这件衬衣需要改一改。
• He easily perceived there was an alteration in my countenance.他立刻看出我的脸色和往常有些不同。

5 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

8 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

9 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

10 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。