UN Experts in Iraq to Study Early Elections

UN Experts in Iraq to Study Early Elections

Kirk Troy

A United Nations fact-finding team arrived in Iraq Saturday to decide if the country would be ready for general elections this summer.

As the U.N. team arrived Saturday in Baghdad, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in New York the team will consult with American and Iraqi authorities, and try to listen to all Iraqi views and perspectives. He said he hopes it will then provide a way to resolve the impasse¹ over how sovereignty is handed over to Iraqis, scheduled for June 30.

The U.S.-led coalition² in Baghdad says it will give support for the fact-finding team, while it is in Iraq and provide any cooperation the U.N. may need. Dan Senor, the coalition spokesman in Baghdad: "The U.N. will be operating as an independent entity³ in Iraq. We will be here to provide them with logistical and security support. We fully⁴ understood and fully supported the Governing Council's decision to request the U.N. to come in and take a closer look at the situation."

Mr. Annan sent the team to Iraq upon the request of Iraqi groups and U.S. officials, after leaders of the country's Shi'ite majority rejected a U.S. plan for an appointed interim⁵ government. The United States maintains there is not enough time to prepare for elections before the scheduled handover.

Leading Shi'ite Cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani encouraged his followers⁶ to oppose the U.S. plan. The Ayatollah demanded that direct elections be held as soon as possible. Thousands of his followers took to the streets in support. He has hinted, however, that he may meet with representatives of the U.N. team and accept their decision.

Details of the team's schedule have been kept secret, due to security concerns following last summer's devastating⁷ bomb attack on the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, which led to the U.N.'s withdrawal⁸ from Iraq.

 

注释：

fact-finding [5fAkt9faIndIN] n. 寻求事实

Baghdad [5bA^dAd] n. 巴格达，伊拉克的首都及最大的城市。

perspective [pE5spektiv] n. 观点，看法

impasse [Am5pB:s] n. 僵局

sovereignty [5sCvrinti] n. 主权，主权国家

schedule [5Fedju:l] v. 预定，安排

coalition [kEuE5liF(E)n] n. 联盟

entity [5entiti] n. 组织，机构

logistical [lEu5dVistikEl] adj. 后勤的

Governing Council  管理委员会

Shi'ite [5Fi:aIt] adj. （伊斯兰）什叶派的

interim government  临时政府

handover [5hAndEuvE] n. 移交

cleric [5klerik] n. 牧师，传教士

take to the streets  走上街头（游行等）

hint [hint] n. 暗示，示意

devastating [5devEsteitiN] adj. 破坏性的，毁灭性的

headquarters [5hed7kwC:tEz] n. 总部，指挥部

withdrawal [wiT5drC:El] n. 撤退，退回

 

1 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

7 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

8 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。