2007年VOA标准英语-Zimbabwe Envoy Criticizes British PM's Oppositi

By Tendai Maphosa
London
21 September 2007

The Zimbabwean ambassador to the United Nations has accused British Prime Minister Gordon Brown of trying to dictate¹ who should attend the European Union-African Union summit by threatening to stay away if President Robert Mugabe attends. From London, Tendai Maphosa has more in this report for VOA.

Zimbabwean envoy² Boniface Chidyausiku said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has no right to dictate who can attend the the EU-African Union summit in Lisbon in December.

He told the BBC that Mr. Brown is trying to drag other parties into what he called a disagreement between Britain and its former colony.

"We have said the quarrel is between Britain and Zimbabwe," he said. "The United Kingdom government has had the tendency of trying to put this quarrel into a multilateral forum³. Really a meeting between Europe and Africa should go ahead, and there are more bigger issues to discuss than the differences between Britain and Zimbabwe."

This follows an article written by Mr. Brown and published in The Independent newspaper on Thursday. The British prime minister said he would not attend the summit, the first in seven years, if Mr. Mugabe attends.

He said Mr. Mugabe's participation⁴ would divert attention from important issues that need to be resolved on the continent.

Mr. Brown said the Zimbabwean leader's attendance would mean that a European Union travel ban on Mr. Mugabe and other Zimbabwe officials, imposed for alleged⁵ human rights abuses, would be suspended.

The prime minister blamed Mr. Mugabe for the economic meltdown and dire⁶ living conditions in Zimbabwe. He said unemployment in the African country is now 80 percent and that four million people will depend on food aid by the end of the year.

Mr. Brown said the travel ban may be extended to include more individuals close to Mr. Mugabe and that he wants to put pressure on the U.N. Security Council to send a humanitarian⁷ team to Zimbabwe.

But reaction to Mr. Brown from fellow European Union members has been mixed.

A report in Friday's Daily Telegraph newspaper quotes the EU's development and aid commissioner⁸ as saying the summit must go ahead. Louis Michel said the disagreement between Britain and Zimbabwe should not be allowed to get in the way of the two continents meeting.

 

Zambia's President Levy⁹ Mwanawasa announced on Thursday that he will boycott¹⁰ the summit if Mr. Mugabe is not invited. He added that he could be joined by other African leaders.

1 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

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 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。

4 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

8 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

9 levy   

n.征收税或其他款项，征收额

参考例句：

• They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
• A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。

10 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。