VOA标准英语2009-Burma, Other Asian Nations Defend Security A

Burma has defended its prosecution¹ of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi at an Asian security summit in Singapore. Delegates to the summit have urged her release along with 2,000 other political prisoners in the military-ruled country. Sri Lanka and Pakistan also defended their own internal security measures at the summit.

Burma's Deputy Minister of Defense², Major General Aye Myint, on Sunday said police had no choice but to charge Aung San Suu Kyi with violating the terms of her house arrest.

"It is no doubt that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has committed a cover up of the truth in her failure to report an illegal immigrant to the authorities concerned," said Aye Myint. "Thus, there was no option but to open legal proceedings³ in accordance with the law."
　
A portrait of Myanmar's opposition⁴ leader Aung San Suu Kyi is attached to a balloon during a vigil in Singapore, 31 May 2009

Aye Myint was speaking to Asian security officials and experts at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Delegates to the annual summit made public calls for Burma's military rulers to release the democracy leader along with the more than two thousand other political prisoners in the country.

Aung San Suu Kyi is facing five years in prison for allowing an eccentric American man to stay in her house without official permission.

The trial has been widely condemned⁵ as an excuse to keep the democracy leader locked-up. Her lawyers say a verdict is expected at the end of the week.

Aye Myint repeated Burma's dismissal of the criticism as an interference in its internal affairs.

Also at the summit Sunday, Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rohitha Bogollagama, defended the military defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels.

"Sri Lanka will no doubt enter the annals of history as a classic, textbook example of a nation that successfully prevailed over the scourge⁶ of terrorism whilst tenaciously⁷ upholding the cherished values of democracy and human rights that have been deeply engrained in the psyche⁸ of our people," said Rohitha Bogollagama.

Critics have accused both the rebels and the Sri Lankan military of causing heavy casualties during the 25-year-conflict. The United Nations estimates thousands of civilians⁹ died in the final military assault on the rebels.

Pakistan's Secretary of Defense, Syed Athar Ali, told the Asian security summit there was a misperception that Pakistan was the source of extremism in the region. He argued instability actually trickled¹⁰ in from Afghanistan after the 9-11 attacks.

"[The] quandary¹¹ lies in Afghanistan and, therefore, the solution has to be found in Afghanistan itself," said Syed Athar Ali. "Whereas Pakistan has played a lead role in global campaign against terror, and paid a very heavy price, the lack of success in creating stability in Afghanistan by coalition¹² forces has impeded¹³ our efforts at stabilizing¹⁴ our western border region bordering Afghanistan."

Ali acknowledged that extremists had found a safe-haven in the largely unsecured border region, but says Pakistan security forces are now making great efforts to flush out the Taliban and other extremists.

But, he warned the weak government in Afghanistan and lack of international funding was likely to make the security situation worse.

American and British defense chiefs at the three-day summit asked Asian countries to contribute more funds and expertise¹⁵ to Afghanistan's development.

In other security concerns expressed Sunday, Singapore's Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean told delegates new friction¹⁶ could arise from overlapping¹⁷ territorial¹⁸ claims in the South China Sea.

He said more military transparency and information sharing was needed to prevent misunderstandings that could lead to conflict.

1 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

4 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。

5 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

6 scourge   

n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏

参考例句：

• Smallpox was once the scourge of the world.天花曾是世界的大患。
• The new boss was the scourge of the inefficient.新老板来了以后，不称职的人就遭殃了。

7 tenaciously   

坚持地

参考例句：

• Though seriously ill, he still clings tenaciously to life. 他虽病得很重，但仍顽强地活下去。 来自辞典例句
• It was apparently more tenaciously held to surface than fraction three. 它比级分三更顽强地保持在表面上。 来自辞典例句

8 psyche   

n.精神；灵魂

参考例句：

• His exploration of the myth brings insight into the American psyche.他对这个神话的探讨揭示了美国人的心理。
• She spent her life plumbing the mysteries of the human psyche.她毕生探索人类心灵的奥秘。

9 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

10 trickled   

v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动

参考例句：

• Blood trickled down his face. 血从他脸上一滴滴流下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The tears trickled down her cheeks. 热泪一滴滴从她脸颊上滚下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 quandary   

n.困惑，进迟两难之境

参考例句：

• I was in a quandary about whether to go.我当时正犹豫到底去不去。
• I was put in a great quandary.我陷于进退两难的窘境。

12 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

13 impeded   

阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Work on the building was impeded by severe weather. 楼房的施工因天气恶劣而停了下来。
• He was impeded in his work. 他的工作受阻。

14 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

15 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

16 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

17 overlapping   

adj./n.交迭（的）

参考例句：

• There is no overlapping question between the two courses. 这两门课程之间不存在重叠的问题。
• A trimetrogon strip is composed of three rows of overlapping. 三镜头摄影航线为三排重迭的象片所组成。

18 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。