VOA标准英语2009年-US, Iran Attend Afghan Conference in Mosco

Asia's six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO, held a meeting in Moscow Friday to discuss ways of combating terrorism, drug-trafficking, and organized crime in Afghanistan. Among those invited to the meeting were diplomats¹ from the United States and Iran.
　
Russian FM Lavrov speaks at a Moscow conference on global efforts to combat terrorism, drug-trafficking in Afghanistan on 27 Mar³ 2009

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Patrick Moon, and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Mehdi Akhonzadeh spoke⁴ within minutes of one another at the SCO's Special Conference on Afghanistan.

The Iranian diplomat² told delegates that illicit⁵ drugs represent a serious peril⁶ to the security and stability of not only Afghanistan, but the entire region, adding that no country can fight the phenomenon alone. Akhonzadeh said Iran seizes about three tons of opium⁷ on its border every day, noting that drug profits are used to fund terrorist networks in Afghanistan.

VOA asked the diplomat if his country has an interest in the success of the U.S. and NATO military operation in Afghanistan. He responded by noting drug production increased eight-fold since the NATO entered Afghanistan in 2001.

"So there's a big question mark," he said. "Who is responsible for such a heavy increase of production and export of the narcotics⁸, because all of the areas where this cultivation⁹ is underway are controlled by NATO forces in one way or other?"

Akhonzadeh said this reality cannot be ignored and called for new ideas, strategies and methods to tackle the problems of Afghanistan.

In his presentation, Patrick Moon said 18 Afghan provinces are now completely free of opium production. He noted¹⁰ that poppy cultivation decreased 19 percent nationwide last year and is on track to drop even further in 2009. Moon said 98 percent of the poppies in Afghanistan are grown in the unstable¹¹ south.

"We need to ensure improved security conditions in the south in order to carry out an effective counter-narcotics strategy in Helmand and Kandahar provinces," he said. "The nexus¹² between the insurgency¹³ and the drug trade is most prominent in the south."

Moon acknowledged that the military approach alone cannot solve the problems of Afghanistan, and called on the international community to help the country institute good governance, and such measures as rural electrification¹⁴ and replacement¹⁵ of opium production with profitable legal crops. In addition, he said the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe should help secure the borders of Afghanistan.

Iranian and U.S. diplomats were aware of one another's presence at the Moscow conference, but said it is not unusual for them to attend the same international forums¹⁶. A senior U.S. administration official said the American side did not request a meeting with Iran and was not asked for one either. He noted, however, that the U.S. considers Iran to be an important player related to Afghanistan, and sees the issue as a very productive area for engagement in the future

Anticipating President Barack Obama's Strategic Review on Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mohammad Mehdi Akhonzadeh said Iran expects measurable change, not rhetoric¹⁷ from the United States.

"We don't want to come here two years later, three years later, or four year later to again talk about the extremism, terrorism, drugs, and so on and so forth," he said.

Patrick Moon echoed these threats, as did all of the delegates at the SCO Afghan Conference.

Speaking on behalf of the host country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said an effective struggle against such problems requires significant improvement in the combat readiness and coordination¹⁸ of the Afghan military, police and other law enforcement agencies, which the U.S. also considers important. He noted the use of force against terrorists and drug traffickers should be accompanied by a broad range of social and economic revitalization measures. Lavrov also reiterated¹⁹ Moscow's offer to allow transit²⁰ of non-combat goods through its territory and said Russia is ready to examine other kinds of constructive²¹ cooperation.

Iran announced earlier that it will participate in another Afghan Conference in The Hague on March 31, which U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to attend.

1 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

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 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。

5 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

6 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

7 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

8 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

12 nexus   

n.联系；关系

参考例句：

• Shared ambition is the vital nexus between them.共同的志向是把他们联结在一起的重要纽带。
• Either way,the nexus between the consumer and consumer prices is important.无论那个方面，消费者与消费价格之间的关系是至关重要的。

13 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

14 electrification   

n.充电，电气化；起电；电化；带电

参考例句：

• Electrification of the countryside--yes, that, too, is impressive. 是的。农村电气化也是了不起的事。 来自演讲部分
• After electrification, it will readily stick to a wall or a ceiling. 起电后，它立即吸附到墙壁上或天花板上。 来自辞典例句

15 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

16 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

17 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

18 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

19 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

20 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

21 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。