2007年VOA标准英语-Egypt Warns of Regional Instability Without Pal

By Cache Seel
Cairo
04 September 2007

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, right, meets with Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema in Alexandria, 04 Sep 2007

Egyptian officials have told European politicians a peace conference that fails to achieve a breakthrough between Israelis and Palestinians will add to anger, frustration¹, and extremism in the Middle East. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is hosting a round of high-level talks in Alexandria in an apparent bid to reassert Egypt's diplomatic role in the region. Cache Seel has details from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

President Mubarak met first with Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema and with Tony Blair, the Middle East peace envoy² for the so-called Quartet, made up of the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States. The discussion focused on the upcoming U.S.-sponsored peace conference, scheduled for November.

Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad told reporters the conference must end with tangible³ progress.

"The president said it time and again that the road to Iraq, the road to win the battle against terrorism and fundamentalism, is going through the peace process and Jerusalem," he said.

Awad stressed the importance of the peace talks in calming volatility⁴ in the region.

"The failure of this conference cannot lead to a better situation in the Middle East. It is, on the contrary, going to further complicate⁵ an already complicated situation," added Awad.

As the first Arab country to sign a peace accord with Israel, Egypt has long been at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. But recent failures to mediate⁶ a peace agreement between rival Palestinian factions⁷ in the Gaza Strip and strong support for the Saudi-authored peace plan have pushed Egypt out of the limelight.

Karam Gabr, the chairman of the Egyptian media consortium Rose al-Youssef, disagrees with the idea that Egypt's role in the region is diminishing.

Gabr says Egypt's role is important because Cairo can maintain good relations with all sides in regional conflicts. He says this allows Egypt to be a successful regional mediator⁸.

After his meeting with Mr. Blair and Foreign Minister D'Alema, President Mubarak met with King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss regional developments. Jordan and Egypt are close allies, and this meeting was the leaders' fourth this year.

President Mubarak's flurry of meetings continues on Thursday when he hosts Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

1 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

4 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。

5 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

6 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。

7 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

8 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。