VOA常速英语2008年-EU Split Over Recognition of Kosovo

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
18 February 2008

The European Union Monday split over whether to recognize Kosovo's newly declared independence. Lisa Bryant reports from Paris the 27-member block has ultimately decided¹ to let each of its 27 members make its own decision.

Four of Europe's biggest powers - Germany, Britain, France and Italy - have followed the United States in saying they would recognizing Kosovo's independence. And Poland's foreign minister said he would ask his government to recognize Kosovo's declaration of independence on Tuesday.

In Washington, President Bush congratulated Kosovo on its independence and reminded Pristina it is bound by the UN-backed plan to submit to international supervision².

But EU members are deeply divided over the matter. At a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels Monday, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel - whose country holds the rotating EU presidency³ - told reporters the block had decided to let member states decide for themselves.

"European Union as a union of 27 member countries does not recognize any country," said Dimitri Rupel. "Recognition is in the hands of the member states. And some member states may recognize [Kosovo] today. Some may be recognizing tomorrow. Some may recognize in a couple of days or a week or a couple of weeks. Some may not."

Cyprus and Spain count among some half a dozen opponents to recognizing Kosovo's independence. Cyprus declared its break from Serbia as legally invalid⁴. Romania and Slovakia are also against Kosovo's move.

But several other countries, including Austria to Sweden, say they are prepared to recognize an independent Kosovo. And in France, the Elysee presidential palace announced French President Nicolas Sarkozy had written a letter to Kosovo's president recognizing the territory "as a free and independent state."

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

3 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

4 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。