2006年VOA标准英语-World Leaders Gather for UN General Assembly

By Peter Heinlein
New York
17 September 2006

  
  
President Bush heads a long list of world leaders and government ministers gathering¹ in New York this week for the annual U.N. General Assembly debate.  This year's event takes on added significance, with negotiations² on the sidelines to determine who will be the world body's next secretary-general.

---

The debate begins Tuesday, and over seven days, more than 80 heads of state and government will address the assembly. President Bush will speak at the opening session, along with the leaders of France, Finland, Poland, South Africa, Pakistan and Brazil.

Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, is slated⁴ to speak late in the day, but he will not cross paths with Mr. Bush.

The Assembly debate has become an occasion for bilateral⁵ and group meetings among world leaders, as well as for forums⁶ and conferences. President Bush's schedule includes a one-on-one chat with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and private meetings with several of his fellow heads of state.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan    
  
Secretary General Annan told reporters he expects the General Assembly debate to touch every pressing global issue.

"I think Lebanon and the broader Middle East, Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo, I suspect Kosovo would also come high on the agenda. And of course, other issues we are dealing⁷ with, the fight against HIV and some others will continue. But, I think, with the heads of state here, there will be some key issues that we will deal with, and, I think, for the next couple of months, it should keep us busy," he said.

For Mr. Annan, those next couple of months will take him close to the end of his term as secretary-general. He completes 10 years in office in December, and the race to succeed him is moving into its final stages.

A host of announced candidates for the job have been actively⁸ campaigning, and all are expected to be in New York to press their cases.

South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon    
  
South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon has emerged as the early frontrunner. He has finished first in two preliminary polls among the 15 members of the Security Council. But that is no guarantee of success.

In the most recent poll, he received 14 votes of encouragement. But he also received one vote of discouragement. Under rules of the balloting⁹, there is no way to know whether that negative vote may have come from one of the five permanent Council members, who have veto power over the selection.

Wang Guangya   
  
China's U.N. ambassador, Wang Guangya reminded reporters that these preliminary polls can be misleading.

"Yesterday, one candidate got more votes than the others. But there is one vote of discouragement. Where it comes from is very important," he said.

The other four candidates received more votes of discouragement in the poll. Indian novelist and U.N. Undersecretary-General for Public Information Shashi Tharoor, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai and Sri Lankan diplomat¹⁰ Jayantha Dhanapala all received three "discourages". A late entry into the race, Jordan's U.N. ambassador, Prince Zeid Raad Al-Hussein, received four.

But the results did not appear to deter³ any of the candidates. None withdrew from the race. Instead, more hopefuls are entering.

Until now, all announced candidates have been Asian men, since U.N. tradition holds that it is Asia's turn to lead the world body. But Friday, the three Baltic states nominated Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga. She becomes the first non-Asian and the first woman candidate, at a time when key decision-makers are speaking openly of their desire to see a woman in the job.

Veteran U.N. watcher and Columbia University Professor Edward Luck says there are likely to be more nominations¹¹ as the selection process moves forward.

"The addition of one or two more names is probably a good thing, and I would assume we'll have a few more before we're finished. Every name has plusses and minuses, and I think it's sort of 50-50 as to whether the candidate will come from this group, or a name that has yet to be voiced," said Luck.

Luck says that, since by tradition it is Asia's turn, the final choice will probably come down to whoever is acceptable to China and the United States.

U.S. diplomats¹² have been careful not to reveal which candidate they might support. But in a VOA interview, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations Kristen Silverberg says the United States would like to see someone with a mix of strong administrative¹³ experience, as well as diplomatic skills.

"A secretary-general can play an important role in helping¹⁴ to bridge differences and broker¹⁵ agreements. But I think today it's important to keep in mind that the U.N. is a complicated operational organization," said Silverberg. "So, you really need somebody who's going to focus on how the place is managed. So, we think it's not enough to just be an effective politician or diplomat. You really have to be somebody, who can focus on these operational, on-the-ground issues. So, we really would like someone who could do both."

Ambassadors of the permanent five Security Council members say they have agreed to speed up the selection process. They are hoping for a smooth transition from Secretary-General Annan to his successor.

U.S. and Chinese diplomats say they remain hopeful that a final decision may come as early as September 28, the day after the conclusion of the General Assembly debate. Another poll of Security Council members is scheduled for that day, and the Council president for September, Greek Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, has said it could be decisive.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

4 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。

5 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

6 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

9 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

10 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

11 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

12 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

14 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

15 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。