VOA标准英语2009-US Cautious on Afghan Outreach to Taliban

David Gollust | State Department 23 November 2009

 
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 23 Nov 2009

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that the United States is open to the prospect¹ of Afghan government peace talks with elements of the Taliban, but she advised Kabul officials to proceed cautiously.  Clinton spoke² in advance of another top-level White House meeting convened³ by President Obama on whether he should send thousands more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. 

The Obama administration is giving a cautious nod of approval to possible peace contacts between the Kabul government and Taliban factions⁴, as it nears a decision on whether to add as many as 40,000 troops to the Afghan war effort.

A spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday that the Afghan leader, newly sworn in to a second term in office, might invite Taliban elements and other militant⁵ opponents of the government to a Loya Jirga, or grand council meeting, aimed at bringing peace and reconciliation⁶ to the war-torn country.

At a press event with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Rumiana Zheleva, Clinton said the United States backs the concept of outreach to the Taliban, but that Kabul authorities should proceed with caution.

"Obviously, we are going to ask questions about how it proceeds," said Hillary Clinton. "But the general idea of exploring this is one that we have been open to.  With respect to the outcome of any such discussions, however, we have urged caution and real standards that are expected to be met by anyone who is engaged in these conversations, so that whatever process there is can actually further the stability and peace of Afghanistan, not undermine it."

In a separate press event here, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said the United States has had no direct contact with the Taliban but that it is supportive of Saudi efforts - requested by President Karzai - to broker⁷ peace contacts between the Afghan sides.
Holbrooke, who accompanied Clinton on her trip to Afghanistan for Mr. Karzai's swearing-in last week, said U.S. terms for dealing⁸ with Taliban supporters remain the same as when the secretary outlined them in a policy speech in July.

"She laid out the conditions by which the U.S. believes people fighting with the Taliban can rejoin, reintegrate into Afghan society," said Richard Holbrooke. "And the first point she mentioned was renounce⁹ al-Qaida.  Remember and never forget, we are in Afghanistan because of 9/11 [the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States].  And the other thing was to renounce violence and to lay down their arms and participate in life peacefully.  In fact, many, many Taliban have done that since 2002."

The length of the Obama administration's review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan has drawn¹⁰ criticism from Republican lawmakers and others as a reflection of top-level indecision.  But Holbrooke said the care being given to the issue is to be commended, not criticized.

"This is the most thorough, most sustained, most thoughtful process I have ever seen," he said. "And over the long course of it, we have all learned a great deal from each other, in a way which I think is exactly the way decisions should be made."

White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said Monday the President could announce his decision on Afghan troop levels as soon as next week.  

1 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

4 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

5 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

6 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

7 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。

8 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。

9 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

10 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。