VOA标准英语10月-Angola Arms Trial Opens in France

A major arms and graft¹ trial involving shadowy links between France and Angola has opened in Paris. Lisa Bryant reports for VOA from the French capital that the son of a former French president and a former French interior minister are among the defendants².

Forty-two people are on trial in Paris on charges of illegal arms sales to Angola during the 1990s, when the southern-African nation was immersed in civil war.

Prosecutors³ say helicopters, land mines and warships⁴ were shipped to Angola for five years in the 1990s, strengthening President Eduardo Dos Santos' military government against rebel fighters.
　

Former French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua, center, arrives at a Paris courthouse, 06 Oct 2008

The long-awaited case, which has been in the news for years in France, implicates⁵ former French interior minister Charles Pasqua and Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, son of deceased French president Francois Mitterrand.

Mr. Dos Santos stands accused of tapping two businessmen for weapons supplies during the war after France refused to sell him tanks - a move that would have violated a U.N. arms embargo⁶ against Angola at the time.

Angola has petitioned to stop the trial on grounds that its state interests and national security would be discussed in court and therefore compromised.

Both Pascua and Mitterrand deny charges against them of influence peddling⁷ on behalf of Angolan officials and of taking substantial bribes⁸ related to the alleged⁹ arms trafficking.

Mitterrand told French radio he was completely innocent and that contacts he had with Pierre Falcone, one of two businessmen who allegedly presided over the arms deals, had nothing to do with the weapons shipments. Rather, he said, he had been asked to offer general information on the region, and was paid a commission for his work.

Mitterrand and Pascua face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty, as do both businessmen accused of the arms shipment.

1 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

2 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

3 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

4 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

5 implicates   

n.牵涉，涉及（某人）( implicate的名词复数 )；表明（或意指）…是起因

参考例句：

• This confession implicates numerous officials in the bribery scandal. 这一供认会使许多官员牵连到受贿的丑事中。 来自辞典例句
• Did you tell him that the recording implicates President Logan in Palmer's assassination? 你有没有告诉他录音显示洛根总统跟帕尔默被杀有关？ 来自电影对白

6 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

7 peddling   

忙于琐事的，无关紧要的

参考例句：

• He worked as a door-to-door salesman peddling cloths and brushes. 他的工作是上门推销抹布和刷子。
• "If he doesn't like peddling, why doesn't he practice law? "要是他不高兴卖柴火，干吗不当律师呢？

8 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

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。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

9 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