VOA标准英语2011--NATO Hits More Libyan Targets as Diploma

NATO Hits More Libyan Targets as Diplomatic Efforts Appear to Fizzle

NATO aircraft bombed targets near the Libyan capital Tripoli overnight, just hours after South African President Jacob Zuma met with embattled Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in his military camp. Zuma's attempt at mediation¹ was followed by a visit Tuesday by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in eastern Libya. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to United Arab Emirates next week for a meeting on Libya's conflict. The State Department said Tuesday that Clinton will attend a June 9 meeting of the Libyan Contact Group.
The Italian foreign minister offered a biting assessment² of Colonel Gadhafi's grip on power, insisting that his regime is "finished" and that it is time for him to go. He also pledged Italy's support to the rebel Transitional National Council in Benghazi.
"I confirm once again my full political support and the Italian full political support to the national council, and of course I repeated that Gadhafi regime is over [and] he has to leave the country," said Frattini.
His statement was in stark³ contrast to statements from Tripoli that Gadhafi has no intention of giving up power. South African President Jacob Zuma's meeting Monday with the embattled Libyan leader focused on the already unsuccessful African Union "roadmap."
"You make the point that let the Libyan people be given a chance to talk among themselves. Therefore, he's ready to implement⁴ the roadmap [of the African Union]," he said.
Both NATO and rebel leader Mustapha Abdel Jalil have repeatedly rejected any peace plan that does not include the departure of Gadhafi and his sons.
Frattini's visit to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi Tuesday struck another blow at Gadhafi's grip on power, as the foreign minister inaugurated a new Italian consulate⁵ in the city.
Both Frattini and the rebels' foreign policy chief, Ali al-Essawi, said the Libyan leader has lost the support of top confidants and the international community. Eight Libyan military officers defected to Italy on Monday.
Fathi Baja, the man often identified as the rebel "foreign minister" also told journalists that in his estimation, the international community is becoming more insistent⁶ in its demands that Colonel Gadhafi step down and leave the country.
"The discourse⁷ now of the international community in general has been changed. Now, they are not talking about political initiatives. Now, they're talking about - most of them - they are talking about steps for Gadhafi [to] leave, and this is really for us, some kind of change," he said.
Overnight, NATO warplanes struck near the Libyan capital, triggering several explosions. NATO indicated Tuesday it had struck four military sites to destroy missile launchers, radar⁸ and a vehicle storage facility.
Libyan government-run TV slammed the attacks, complaining that NATO had hit military and civilian⁹ targets, causing casualties and destruction.

1 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

2 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

3 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

4 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

5 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

6 insistent   

adj.迫切的，坚持的

参考例句：

• There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
• He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。

7 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

8 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

9 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。