美国国家公共电台 NPR--Arab government representatives vote to return Syria to the Arab League

Arab government representatives vote to return Syria to the Arab League

Transcript¹

Arab countries have voted to allow Syria to rejoin the Arab League for the first time in over a decade. It's a triumphant² moment for President Bashar al-Assad.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

This next story underlines a harsh reality. Syria's leader, Bashar al-Assad, has successfully endured more than a decade of civil war. Years ago, the Arab League kicked out his government. The Arab nations responded to a brutal³ crackdown on protests. In the years since, that crackdown became a war, featuring barrel bombs on civilian⁴ areas, chemical weapons attacks and torture. Yet when the Arab League meets later this month, President Assad is now welcome to attend. NPR's Ruth Sherlock has reported on the conflict in Syria since it began. She's on the line. Welcome.

RUTH SHERLOCK, BYLINE⁵: Thank you.

INSKEEP: Why would Arab leaders do this now?

SHERLOCK: Well, look, like you said, this is an authoritarian⁶ regime that has not changed its ways. But the fact is that a lot of countries in this region are recognizing that Assad has won the war and is likely here to stay. So this is a pragmatic decision. And also the war has caused so many real problems in this region. There's millions of refugees being hosted in nearby countries, including Jordan and Lebanon. And Syria has become a narcostate, trafficking drugs to surrounding countries. So many of these governments hope that by reengaging, they can address some of these issues.

INSKEEP: Does that mean that Syria is no longer a pariah⁷?

SHERLOCK: Well, not quite - look, this is an important moment for the regime because it's a foot in the door in terms of rejoining the international community, Steve. Here's Lina Khatib. She's the director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University in London.

LINA KHATIB: And this is what Assad is counting on, that eventually the international community is going to just give up on trying to push for political transition and just accept the reality on the ground and eventually do business with Assad again.

SHERLOCK: So we're not there yet. You know, despite the Arab League decision, even in the Middle East, some countries like Qatar are refusing to engage with Assad. And there's no sign that the U.S. or the EU will relax the sanctions that are stopping billions of dollars flowing to Syria. But this does feel like a kind of turning point.

INSKEEP: How does the United States respond to this Arab League decision?

SHERLOCK: Well, I think it realizes that it doesn't really have a choice to stop this from happening. So the messaging is that it wants to - these Arab - its allies in the region, to use the Arab League membership as leverage⁸ to force Syria to engage with U.N. peace talks that would involve a transition of power away from Assad. But the reality is the Arab League didn't set any preconditions for Syria's return, even though it does say it would like to discuss these issues. Salman Shaikh, the founder⁹ of the Shaikh Group, tries to mediate¹⁰ conflicts, mainly in the Middle East. And he told me he doesn't think that the Arab League can really influence Assad on this. He says the Assad regime has never shown goodwill¹¹ towards a political settlement in Syria.

SALMAN SHAIKH: It's because they believe they can have their cake and eat it, that they can hold out from the international community and not make any serious efforts to discussing power sharing or some sort of new contours of a political agreement with the opposition¹² and get away with it. And to be honest, they are.

SHERLOCK: And, you know, he's saying that at this point in the war, the U.S. has little influence over the conflict in Syria to force any significant change.

INSKEEP: NPR's Ruth Sherlock is covering the story from Beirut. Thanks so much.

SHERLOCK: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 triumphant   

adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的

参考例句：

• The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
• There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

3 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

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 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

7 pariah   

n.被社会抛弃者

参考例句：

• Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village.不一会儿，汤姆碰上了村里的少年弃儿。
• His landlady had treated him like a dangerous criminal,a pariah.房东太太对待他就像对待危险的罪犯、对待社会弃儿一样。

8 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

9 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

10 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

11 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

12 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。