2006年VOA标准英语-Jordan's King Urges Action on Mideast Peace

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
26 November 2006

U.S. President George Bush is preparing for talks this week in Jordan with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from the White House that both men will face pressure to curb¹ violence in the region from their host, Jordan's King Abdullah.

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King Abdullah II of Jordan addresses participants at the opening session of the Young Arab leaders forum, 25 Nov 2006

King Abdullah warns the situation in the Middle East is at a crucial point, and says the violence in Iraq is just part of the problem.

"The difficulty we are tackling with here is, we are juggling³ with the strong potential of three civil wars in the region, whether it is the Palestinians, Lebanon or Iraq," noted⁴ King Abdullah.

He says, if nothing is done, all three flash points could erupt in the coming year.

"Therefore, it is time we take a really strong step forward, as part of the international community, and make sure we avert⁵ the Middle East from a tremendous crisis that, I fear, and I see, could possibly happen in 2007," he warned.

Speaking on the ABC television program, This Week, the king said, while Americans are more focused on Iraq, people in the region continue to believe that, until Israelis and Palestinians find a way to live together, there will be no peace anywhere in the region.

"The emotional impact that the Israeli-Palestinian problem has on the ground can be translated to the insecurity and the frustrations⁶ throughout the Middle East and the Arab world," said King Abdullah. "For me, that is the priority."

The Jordanian monarch⁷ indicated the talks he will host Wednesday and Thursday in Amman will proceed on two tracks. He said he wants to talk to President Bush about the need for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the same time, the president and Prime Minister Maliki will be discussing ways to curb the violence in Iraq.

King Abdullah said he hopes Mr. Maliki will come to Amman with a plan of action to bring the various factions⁸ in Iraq together. He said something must be done before Iraq spirals out of control.

"We are very very concerned for the future of all Iraqis," he said. "And we hope there will be something dramatic. The challenges, obviously, in front of both of them are immense."

President Bush is also under pressure to change course in Iraq from Congressional Democrats⁹, who are about to take formal control of both the House and Senate.

Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois told ABC's This Week that Democrats will hold hearings on the president's policy, but will not take rash action.

"I don't think you are going to see anything that is precipitous, or is done in a manner that doesn't take into consideration the delicate balance that King Abdullah referred to in the Middle East," said Durbin. "But, yes, there is a strong national sentiment for change and new direction; yes, the Democrats in Congress want to work with this administration, and move us toward that day more quickly."

President Bush will travel to Jordan for talks with King Abdullah and Prime Minister Maliki after stops in Estonia and Latvia, where he will attend a NATO summit. He leaves Washington early Monday.

1 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

2 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

3 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

4 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。

5 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

6 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

7 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

8 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》