2006年VOA标准英语-UN and Sudan Discuss Replacing Peacekeepers

By VOA News
08 June 2006
 
watch Peacekeepers report

 

U.N. peacekeepers in Congo (file photo)   
  

The African Union will send more peacekeepers to Darfur because of continuing violence in the Sudanese province. The United Nations is holding talks with the Sudanese government about replacing African Union peacekeepers with United Nations troops. UN Security Council representatives are in Sudan for talks with Khartoum, trying to convince the government that a UN force with expanded powers would not be a threat to Sudan's sovereignty and would not constitute an invasion. The United Nations says it will not deploy¹ peacekeepers without Khartoum's approval. A peace deal signed last month by the government and the largest rebel group in Darfur has not stopped the violence in Sudan and the United Nations says things must change.

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Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, left, with Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo (Jan. 2005 file photo)   
  

Meeting with Sudanese president Omar Hassan al Bashir, his foreign minister, and newly-appointed ministers from the south of the country, UN representatives are trying to convince the government of Sudan that a UN peacekeeping force for Darfur would be neither an invasion force nor a threat to Sudanese sovereignty. 

Emyr Jones Parry, British Ambassador to the United Nations, said, "The clear message that any force would only be with the consent of the government of Sudan has, I think, been very reassuring²."

Ghana's Ambassador, Nana Effah Apenteng, said, "The fact that we underlined is that whatever the decision we will be taking will be the result of consultation³ between the Security Council and the Sudanese government went down well.”

There are some difficult decisions ahead to end the violence in Darfur. An estimated 200,000 people have been killed, and two million others have been displaced. The UN has sent a powerful delegation⁴ to convince the Sudanese -- but they acknowledge nothing will happen without Khartoum's consent.

Lam Akol Ajawin, Sudan's foreign minister, said, "The government of Sudan has nothing against the UN and that any role for the UN must be discussed by the Sudanese government, and we have been assured of that."

However, in this Islamic and strongly patriotic⁵ country people, like businessman Hafiz Abbas, fear that a big UN force would constitute an invasion similar to those in Iraq and Afghanistan. " We didn't call help. But they are coming without our calling,"he said.  "When we need help, we can call help.”

The Security Council believes achieving peace in Darfur will require a more robust⁶ UN presence that has the right to defend civilians⁷ and protect itself. Sudan is wary⁸ of giving peacekeepers too much power. Talks continue

1 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

2 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

3 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

6 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。

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。