VOA标准英语2012--US Suspends All Economic Sanctions on Burma

 

US Suspends All Economic Sanctions on Burma

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the suspension of bans on U.S. financial transactions, investments, and access to credit in a meeting with Burmese Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin.

"This is a moment for us to recognize that the progress which has occurred in the last year toward democratization and national reconciliation¹ is irreversible, as the minister said to me. The United States wants to do everything we can to be sure that is the reality," she said. 

Secretary Clinton praised the parliamentary elections that brought Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition² party to parliament, but said some U.S. measures, including an arms embargo³, will remain in place until the country's reforms are complete.

In a video conference via Skype, hosted by former U.S. president George W. Bush, Aung San Suu Kyi said the suspension of U.S. sanctions against Burma, rather than their full removal, will keep the pressure on the military to stay on track with political reforms.

"I sometimes feel that things, that people are too optimistic about the scene in Burma. You have to remember that the democratization process is not irreversible. I have said very openly that we can never look upon it as irreversible until such time as the military commits itself to democratization," she said.

With abundant natural resources, Burma is ripe for new business. And Secretary Clinton called on U.S. investors⁴ to look for opportunities across the country to benefit ethnic⁵ minority areas as well.

"Today we say to American business: Invest in Burma. And do it responsibly. Be an agent of positive change," she said. 

Aung San Suu Kyi says spreading new investments more equitably⁶ will help ease some of Burma's ethnic inequalities.

At Washington's Brookings Institution, Lex Rieffel says too much investment too quickly could overwhelm Burma. "To be successful, this has to be done carefully. What is happening right now is that the country is being over-run with visitors. It is being smothered⁷ in love. This is making it more difficult for the government to make good policy decisions," he said. 

Some Burmese activists⁸ fear the United States is moving too fast. An ASEAN inter-parliament caucus⁹ on Burma is urging Washington to maintain all of its business sanctions, warning that a flood of new investment could fuel further human rights abuses and undermine democratic reforms. 

1 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

2 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。

3 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

4 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

5 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。

6 equitably   

公平地

参考例句：

• We should equitably assess historical figures. 我们应该公正地评价历史人物。
• Land was more equitably distributed. 土地得到更公平合理的分配。

7 smothered   

（使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制

参考例句：

• He smothered the baby with a pillow. 他用枕头把婴儿闷死了。
• The fire is smothered by ashes. 火被灰闷熄了。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。