Powell: World Must Maintain Pressure on Saddam Hussein

Broadcast: Jan 25, 2003

 

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will address the World Economic Forum¹ Sunday, in what some aides call a "major foreign policy speech." Secretary Powell is expected to make clear that Iraq must disarm² or face possible attack.

In Davos, Secretary Powell is stressing American determination to work with the international community to rid Iraq of weapons of destruction. But he said the United Nations must not step back from its ¹⁾solemn responsibilities embodied³ in Security Council resolution 1441 calling on Baghdad to disarm.

"It is the message that everybody signed up to when they voted ²⁾unanimously for 1441 and we cannot now start shrinking because the going is getting tough," he added. "The burden is on Iraq. Iraq must comply or it will be made to comply with military force."

Reuters news agency quotes Secretary Powell saying he had extensive talks in Davos with Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on the use of Turkey's air bases. NATO member Turkey has said its limited support for a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq will depend on a separate Security Council resolution backing military action against Baghdad.

Secretary Powell also held talks Saturday with his Australian, Qatari and Swiss counterparts. He downplayed the possibility of holding last-ditch talks with Iraq in Switzerland. Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said she offered Switzerland to host last minute U.S.-Iraqi talks to avert⁴ a possible war.

Dale Gavlak VOA news, Davos, Switzerland.

 

1)    solemn [5sClEm]adj.庄严的, 隆重的, 严肃的

2)    unanimously [ju(:)5nAnimEslI]adv.意见一致地, 无异议地

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

3 embodied   

v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含

参考例句：

• a politician who embodied the hopes of black youth 代表黑人青年希望的政治家
• The heroic deeds of him embodied the glorious tradition of the troops. 他的英雄事迹体现了军队的光荣传统。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。