VOA标准英语2009年-Sarkozy Praises Congolese Military Coopera

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says it is time for new momentum¹ in cooperation between the Democratic Republic of Congo and its eastern neighbors to resolve years of conflict in the troubled Great Lakes region. The French president addressed a joint² session of parliament in Kinshasa.
　
Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy (l) and Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa, 26 Mar³ 2009

Following talks with President Joseph Kabila, President Sarkozy praised his Congolese counterpart for allowing Rwandan troops into eastern Congo earlier this year.

President Sarkozy told parliament in Kinshasa that there should be a radical⁴, new foundation to Congo's relations with its eastern neighbors. He said he is aware of the difficulties in the region, and President Kabila's move to cooperate with Rwanda was a "courageous⁵ decision."

Rwandan and Congolese troops fought together against Hutu militia⁶, some of whom took part in Rwanda's genocide 15 years ago. Those groups have since destabilized Congo's Kivu regions by periodically launching cross-border raids into Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi.

Stopping those attacks and protecting ethnic⁷ Tutsi in Kivu were the biggest reasons Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi gave for backing two rebellions in Congo - the first of which toppled long-time dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and put President Kabila's father Laurent in power.

The decision to allow foreign troops into Kivu was not without political risk for President Kabila as many Congolese distrust the governments in Kigali and Kampala. Voicing his opposition⁸ to the move, the co-founder of Mr. Kabila's political party resigned as leader of the lower house of parliament.

President Sarkozy said January's joint military operations with Rwanda and Uganda are "the first fruits of a real re-foundation of the region."

President Sarkozy said Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi should expand beyond the existing economic community of the Great Lakes to work more closely with Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya to build agricultural, commercial and industrial projects including improved transportation and protection of natural resources.

President Sarkozy said we are here in the second largest forest in the world. And the world wants the forest of the Congo River Basin to be preserved.

On the first visit by a French president to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 25 years, Mr. Sarkozy was joined by leaders of French telecommunications, transport, and public works firms. They are looking for contracts to help rebuild the country, starting with the renovation⁹ of Kinshasa's airport.

President Sarkozy continues his two-day trip to Africa across the Congo River in Brazzaville with talks that are expected to include French oil investments in the Republic of Congo. Friday he travels to Niger which is a major source of uranium for France's state-run nuclear-energy producer.

1 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

5 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

6 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 renovation   

n.革新，整修

参考例句：

• The cinema will reopen next week after the renovation.电影院修缮后，将于下星期开业。
• The building has undergone major renovation.这座大楼已进行大整修。