VOA标准英语2011--Burma Draws Foreign Envoys

Burma Draws Foreign Envoys¹

Kevin Rudd became the first Australian foreign minister to visit Burma since 2002, Burma expert Sean Turnell of Australia's Macquarie University says Rudd and other diplomats² are trying to get a sense of the new civilian³ government.
He says they want to know what is on the agenda of President Thein Sein, once Burma's fourth-highest ranking military general.
"I think people are just trying to gauge⁴ whether there was any change or not," Turnell said. "We know the election was terribly problematic and so on. But there have been some personnel changes. And I just think people are really just trying to see if there has been any change at all."
Each country reaching out to the long-isolated nation has its own motivations. Rudd's visit marks renewed efforts by Australia to push democratic reform and human rights. The United States also has rights at the top of its agenda.
U.S. Senator John McCain pushed this issue on a fact-finding mission in early June. And on Wednesday, he told VOA that U.S.-Burma ties took a "step backwards⁵" this week when Burma warned democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi to stay out of politics.
"The new government is saying things that appear to give ground to optimism, but their actions have not comported⁶ with that yet," McCain said. "And that is very disappointing and most of all the people of Burma deserve better."
India is looking to capitalize on Burma's rich natural resources and stabilize⁷ the restless border region between the two countries. Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna emphasized business during a June diplomatic visit.
"I think there is great potential in this area to increase trade and investment opportunities. The president was particular to convey that Myanmar is open for investments from all over," Krishna told reporters after his visit.
Beijing has an eye on energy, and is spearheading several hydropower dams and a gas pipeline⁸ extending from the Bay of Bengal, through Burma, to China. When the pipeline opens, China is on track to become Burma's number one trade partner, surpassing Thailand.
Although Burma has opened its doors to a flood of high-level international visitors, observers say this does not appear to have translated to an improvement in human rights. Turnell says in some cases, the connections have made conditions worse. He draws links between China's investments projects in Burma's ethnic⁹ Kachin state and the recent deadly fighting there.
"China, unfortunately, has just been incredibly destructive. China's voracious¹⁰ demand for energy and raw materials is really supplying the old regime, and people connected to it, with vast amounts of money," Turnell said.
The Burmese government says its soldiers are warding¹¹ off raids by Kachin rebels on Chinese projects. The Kachin fighters say a breakdown¹² in peace talks triggered the violence that has spurred thousands of Kachin to flee across the border into China. Rights groups have accused the military of raping¹³ Kachin women in the conflict.
That deadly fighting and the renewed ban on Aung San Suu Kyi's political activities are reminiscent of Burma's former military leadership. But David Lipman, the European Union ambassador to Burma, says something is different.
"This is a time of change. There seems to be change. At the same time it's a moment of opportunity. We will be waiting to see what happens on the ground. In other words, we are going to judge this government by their deeds," Lipman said after wrapping up his visit to Burma last week.
Burma says its transition from a military government to civilian leadership is a key step in its "roadmap to democracy." And government supporters say reform takes time. Time that many Burmese complain is not moving fast enough.

1 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

2 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》

3 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。

4 gauge   

v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器

参考例句：

• Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
• It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。

5 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

6 comported   

v.表现( comport的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He comported himself as if he was already the Presidcnt. 他的举动好象他已经当上了总统似的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He comported himself as if he had already been elected. 他表现出好像他已经当选了似的。 来自辞典例句

7 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

8 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

9 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。

10 voracious   

adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的

参考例句：

• She's a voracious reader of all kinds of love stories.什么样的爱情故事她都百看不厌。
• Joseph Smith was a voracious book collector.约瑟夫·史密斯是个如饥似渴的藏书家。

11 warding   

监护，守护（ward的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Magina channels a powerful warding magic damping the negative effects of spells. 敌法师用守护魔法来抵御负面法术的攻击。
• Indeed, warding off disruption is the principal property of complex systems. 的确，避免破损解体是复杂系统主要的属性。

12 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

13 raping   

v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的现在分词 )；强奸

参考例句：

• In response, Charles VI sent a punitive expedition to Brittany, raping and killing the populace. 作为报复，查理六世派军讨伐布列塔尼，奸淫杀戮平民。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The conquerors marched on, burning, killing, raping and plundering as they went. 征服者所到之处烧杀奸掠，无所不做。 来自互联网