VOA标准英语2009年-Afghanistan Conference Draws 80 Countries

Representatives from more than 80 nations, including the United States and Iran, are gathering¹ Tuesday in the Hague for a key conference focusing on Afghanistan at a time when NATO and U.S. forces there are fighting a rising insurgency².
　
The entrance to the convention center hosting the Afghanistan Conference in The Hague, 30 Mar³ 2009

The Afghanistan conference follows the unveiling of a new U.S. strategy that calls for sending more aid and additional troops to conflict-torn country and to focus more on al-Qaida terrorists operating there.

Dutch Development and Cooperation Minister Bert Koenders, whose country is hosting the conference, says the meeting is not about dollars and soldiers, but about forging an international agreement on what to do in Afghanistan.

"Obviously the outcome of this conference has direct implications for troop levels and for money being spent on development cooperation," said Bert Koenders. "But I think the importance is to force a new international consensus⁴ and a contract between Afghanistan and the international community on mutual⁵ rights and obligations."

Mr. Koenders said the Afghan government should do more to fight corruption⁶ and to guarantee August presidential elections are free and fair. He says the international community should strike a better balance between military and non-military aid.

But European members of NATO are under pressure to come up with more troops for the alliance's operations in Afghanistan, particularly after U.S. President Barack Obama said he would add 4,000 troops to quell⁷ the rising insurgency. That is on top of the 17,000 new troops he has already pledged.

On NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop⁸ Scheffer also urged Europe to do more, saying this should not simply be Mr. Obama's war. World leaders are expected to discuss that issue at a NATO summit on the French-German border later this week.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be joining representatives from more than 80 countries and international organizations at the conference. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Afghan President Hamid Karzai will also be there, as will representatives from Iran.

There appear to be no plans for high-level talks between U.S. and Iranian officials, but Minister Koenders says Iran's presence is key.

"I think they are very vital for the future of Afghanistan," he said. "It is a neighboring country. They have an enormous interest in stability in Afghanistan, in terms of the refugee flows they have had to deal with, but also in terms of exports of drugs [from Afghanistan]."

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also expected at the Hague meeting. Russia hosted its own conference on Afghanistan last Friday.

 

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 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

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 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

5 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

7 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

8 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。