US Will Turn Back Any Haitian Refugees, Warns Bush

US Will Turn Back Any Haitian Refugees, Warns Bush

Scott Stearns

President Bush says the United States will turn back any Haitian refugees who try to reach the United States. Mr. Bush is calling for an international security force for Haiti, once leaders there reach a political settlement.

With rebels threatening to attack Haiti's capital, President Bush says he and Secretary of State Colin Powell are closely consulting with Canadian, French and Caribbean officials to try and find a peaceful solution to the violence.

"We still hope to be able to achieve a political settlement between the current government and the rebels."

Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is calling for international troops to help stop the fighting. President Bush says he backs that idea, but only after there is a negotiated settlement to the three-week-old uprising.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the Bush administration has no current plans to send troops to the country beyond the 50 Marines protecting the U.S. Embassy.

State Department officials say they are still trying to convince Haitian opposition² leaders to accept a U.S. backed peace plan that keeps President Aristide in office with fewer powers. Rebel leader Guy Philippe says President Aristide must step down to avoid a bloodbath.

During a White House meeting with the new leader of Georgia, President Bush says U.S. security forces will not allow any Haitian refugees to reach U.S. soil.

"I have made it abundantly clear to the Coast Guard that we will turn back any refugee that attempts to reach our shore. And that message needs to be very clear, as well, to the Haitian people. We will have a robust³ presence with an effective strategy. And so, we strongly encourage the Haitian people to stay home, as we work to reach a peaceful solution to this problem."

Since they began their uprising earlier this month, armed militants⁴ have captured much of northern Haiti in fighting that has claimed at least 70 lives.

 

注释：

turn back  逐回，驳回

Haitian [5heiFjEn] adj. 海地的

Haiti  海地，位于西印度群岛的一个国家。

consult with  协商，商量

uprising [5Qp5raiziN] n. 暴动，叛乱

Marine¹ [mE5ri:n] n. 海军陆战队

step down  辞职，下台

bloodbath [blQdbB:W] n. 大屠杀

Coast Guard  海岸巡逻队队员，海岸警卫队队员

robust [rE5bQst] adj. 精力充沛的

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

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 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。