Indian, Pakistani PMs Hold Unexpected Talks

Indian, Pakistani PMs Hold Unexpected Talks

 

Ayaz Gul

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan have held a much-hoped-for bilateral¹ meeting on the sidelines of a regional summit.

Officials describe the half-hour surprise meeting between Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan's Zafarulaah Jamali as a courtesy call.

After the meeting, Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha said the prime ministers exchanged views on recent steps their countries have taken to improve usually tense relations.

"They met in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The two prime ministers agreed that the momentum², which has been created in our bilateral relations should be maintained."

Foreign Minister Sinha says Mr. Vajpayee is expected to meet Monday with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry³ Spokesman Masood Khan calls the meetings a good beginning that could lead to resumption of official talks between India and Pakistan.

"It is a good beginning, and we hope that this would culminate⁴ in a dialogue. These high-level meetings are very important. They create a new atmosphere, and they can facilitate bilateral negotiations⁵ also, and the dialogue that Pakistan has been pursuing for some time."

Last April, India and Pakistan began a series of steps to ease border tensions that had pushed them to the brink⁶ of another war over the mountain territory of Kashmir.

In the past few months, India and Pakistan have restored full diplomatic relations and have resumed road, rail and air links. The two rival nations are also observing a cease-fire in divided Kashmir.

The meeting between Indian and Pakistan prime ministers followed the start of the summit gathering⁷ of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Islamabad.

 

注释：

prime minister（PM） 总理，首相

Pakistan [7pB:kis5tB:n] n. 巴基斯坦（南亚国家）

bilateral [bai5lAtErEl] adj. 双边的

sideline [5saidlain] n. 边界

summit [5sQmit] n. 最高阶层，峰会。

Atal Bihari Vajpayee  阿塔尔·比哈里·瓦杰帕伊，印度前总理。

Zafarulaah Jamali  扎法尔·贾马利，2002年当选为巴基斯坦总理。

courtesy [5kE:tisi] n. 礼貌，谦恭

foreign minister  外交部长

Yashwant Sinha  亚施旺特·辛哈，印度外交部长。

momentum [mEu5mentEm] n. 动力，要素

Masood Khan  马苏德·可汗，巴基斯坦外交部发言人

resumption [ri5zQmpFEn] n.恢复

culminate [5kQlmineit] v. 达到高潮

facilitate [fE5siliteit] vt. 推动，促进

brink [briNk] n. 边缘

Kashmir [5kAFmiE] n. 克什米尔地区

restore [ris5tC:] vt. 恢复，重建

resume [ri5zju:m] vt. 重新开始，恢复

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation   南亚区域合作联盟，缩写 SAARC

Islamabad [is5lB:mEbB:d] 伊斯兰堡（巴基斯坦首都）

1 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 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。

4 culminate   

v.到绝顶，达于极点，达到高潮

参考例句：

• The celebration of the centenary will culminate with a dinner.百年庆典活动将以宴会作为高潮。
• Everyone feared that the boundary dispute between these two countries would culminate in a war.人人都担心,这两国间的边境争端将以一场战争到达顶点。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

7 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。