VOA慢速英语2012 As Annan Resigns, UN Condemns Violence in Syria

 

As Annan Resigns, UN Condemns¹ Violence in Syria

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。

The United Nations General Assembly has approved a resolution on Syria. But it does not require any actions and cannot be enforced. The resolution condemns the government's use of heavy weapons against rebels. It also criticizes the U.N. Security Council for failing to stop the violence in Syria.

联合国大会已经批准对叙利亚的决议。但它不要求任何行动，也不能强制。这份决议谴责政府军对叛军使用重型武器，同时批评联合国安理会未能阻止叙利亚的暴力。

Friday's vote came as Syrian activists² reported more violence in the seventeen-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

星期五的投票是在叙利亚活动人士报告这次为期17个月的反阿萨德总统起义中发生了更多暴力后做出的。

On Thursday, Kofi Annan announced he will leave at the end of the month as the United Nations and Arab League negotiator for Syria. He blamed his resignation what he called a lack of unity³ in the Security Council.

科菲·安南（Kofi Annan，联合国前秘书长）周四宣布，他将在月底辞去联合国及阿拉伯国家联盟叙利亚特使一职。他将自己的辞职归咎于安理会缺乏团结。

KOFI ANNAN: "Syria can still be saved from the worst calamity⁴ if the international community can show the courage and leadership necessary to compromise on their partial interest for the sake of the Syrian people."

安南：“如果国际社会能够为叙利亚人民着想，在局部利益的妥协上展示出必要的勇气和领导力，叙利亚仍然可以免于遭受最为严重的不幸。”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the Security Council has become "paralyzed" over Syria. On Friday he urged the major powers to cooperate. He said "the immediate⁵ interests of the Syrian people must be paramount⁶ over any larger rivalries⁷ of influence."

联合国秘书长潘基文表示，安理会在叙利亚问题上已经“瘫痪”。周五，他督促各个主要大国进行合作。他说，“叙利亚人民的切身利益必须高于任何影响力的大对抗。”

Unlike Security Council measures, General Assembly resolutions cannot be vetoed.

和安理会的议案不同，联合国大会决议不能被否决。

Since last year, Syrian allies Russia and China have vetoed three Security Council resolutions on Syria. The proposals would have held President Assad responsible for his failure to honor Mr. Annan's peace plan. They would have also threatened the president with sanctions. The Annan plan included a cease-fire and talks on a temporary government. Rebel forces did not commit themselves to the plan either.

去年以来，叙利亚盟友俄罗斯和中国在叙利亚问题上已经否决了三次安理会决议。这项（联合国大会）决议将未能兑现安南和平计划的责任归咎于阿萨德总统，还威胁制裁阿萨德总统。安南和平计划包括停火和关于临时政府的谈判。叛军也未遵守该计划。

The Obama Administration said Mr. Annan's resignation shows the failure of Russia and China to support meaningful resolutions against Mr. Assad.

奥巴马政府表示，安南先生的辞职表明了中国和俄罗斯未能支持反阿萨德的有意义的决议。

But China says it has been actively⁸ "supporting and cooperating with" Mr. Annan's efforts. A Foreign Ministry⁹ spokesman said China regrets his resignation and understands the difficulties of his work.

但中国表示，中国一直积极支持和配合安南先生的努力。一名外交部发言人表示，中国对安南的辞职表示遗憾，并对安南工作中的困难表示理解。

The Security Council established a U.N. observer mission in Syria in April. But the violence increased, and half of the three hundred military observers left in July.

四月份安理会制订了叙利亚联合国观察员的任务。但暴力事件持续增加，300名军事观察员中的一半于7月份离开了叙利亚。

French ambassador Gerard Araud is this month's president of the Security Council. He denied suggestions that he opposes an extension of the United Nations Supervision¹⁰ Mission in Syria, or UNSMIS, past August nineteenth. He noted¹¹ a recent Security Council resolution permitting a renewal¹², if the government stops shelling civilian¹³ areas and if the level of violence decreases.

法国驻联合国大使杰拉德·阿兰德(Gerard Araud)是本月安理会轮值主席。他否认自己反对延长联合国叙利亚监督任务（简称UNSMIS）。他指出，最近一次安理会决议允许延期该任务，前提是叙利亚政府停止炮击平民区域，且暴力水平下降。

GERARD ARAUD: "And on this basis, I think we'll decide whether we keep the UNSMIS. If we can't keep the UNSMIS in Syria, I think we are ready, of course, to consider any proposal by the secretary-general."

阿兰德：“在此基础上，我们将决定是否继续维持联合国叙利亚监督任务。如果无法维持该任务，我认为我们就做好了准备考虑任何秘书长的建议。”

British Prime Minister David Cameron is calling for more aggressive action.

英国首相戴维·卡梅伦（David Cameron）呼吁采取更为积极的行动。

DAVID CAMERON: "We need to pass resolutions at the United Nations to put further pressure on Syria. I want to see them under so-called Chapter 7 so they have full legal backing of the UN: sanctions, travel bans, asset freezes -- all the steps we can take."

卡梅伦：“我们需要在联合国通过决议，对叙利亚进一步施加压力。我希望根据联合国宪章第7章看到这项决议，这样就有充分的联合国法律依据采取制裁、旅行禁令和冻结资产等所有我们可以采取的措施。”

Government forces have been attacking Aleppo, Syria's largest city, with tanks and helicopters over the last three weeks. Hundreds of thousands of civilians¹⁴ have fled and an unknown number have died.

过去的三周里，政府军一直在使用坦克和直升机进攻叙利亚最大的城市阿勒颇。无数平民逃离，死亡人数不详。

1 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 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》

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。

7 rivalries   

n.敌对，竞争，对抗( rivalry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new government was torn by rivalries. 新政府由于各派对立而四分五裂。 来自辞典例句
• Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. 竞争会带来痛苦、仇恨，或者引起争斗。 来自互联网

8 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

13 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。

14 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。