Britain Extends Sympathy to Russian Terror Victims

 

By Tom Rivers
 
Prime Minister Tony Blair has publicly expressed his sympathy for those who have lost loved ones in the Beslan school siege, in Russia. In his monthly news conference, Mr. Blair also underlined that Britain stands in solidarity¹ with Russia in the fight against terrorism.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair disclosed that he has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the tragic² school massacre³ in Beslan.

"We share Russia's grief in this dark hour for their country and particularly with the people of Beslan, for the terrible atrocity⁴ that they have suffered, we mourn with them and we express our total and complete solidarity. The British people with the people of Beslan, with the people of Russia at this moment," said Mr. Blair.

Mr. Blair said Britain stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Russia in the global fight against terror, which the British leader added has entered a new phase. Mr. Blair said that Beslan represents what he called a new type of terrorism, extreme terrorism.

"As I said to President Putin yesterday [Monday], whatever the terrorists do, and today we live in a world I am afraid where this form of terrorism without limits, this form of extraordinary and appalling⁵ extremism can affect any country in the world, we are absolutely united in our determination to defeat that terrorism whether in Russia or anywhere else in the world," he added.

The British leader was pressed by reporters to comment on whether he thought Mr. Putin might consider adopting a new approach to Chechnya and to try to open up a dialogue with extremists there. Mr. Blair said it would be inappropriate to speculate about such matters while Russia was in a period of deep mourning. But he did condemn⁶ the actions of the hostage-takers in the strongest possible terms.

"Whatever political causes people have, there can be absolutely no excuse whatever in pursuing them in this way," he said. "And I think many people here and right around the world will have been in a state of profound shock that anyone could be so evil as to use children in this way. To kill and maim⁷ innocent people is, I am afraid, a feature of terrorism. To kill and maim innocent children in this way is something I think that has taken terrorism to a different, even more depraved level and our response should be one of complete solidarity with Russia, with the Russian people."

Meanwhile, President Putin has told two British newspapers, the Guardian⁸ and the Independent, that entering into any form of talks with Chechen separatists would be akin⁹ to the West negotiating with al Qaida chief, Osama Bin¹⁰ Laden¹¹. It simply will not happen, he said.

Tom Rivers, for VOA news, London.
注释：
siege 袭击
underline 强调
solidarity 团结
massacre 残杀
grief 悲痛，不幸
shoulder-to-shoulder 肩并肩
phase 阶段
appalling 骇人听闻的
inappropriate 不适当的
condemn 谴责
maim 使残废
innocent 清白的，无罪的
akin 同族的

1 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

4 atrocity   

n.残暴，暴行

参考例句：

• These people are guilty of acts of great atrocity.这些人犯有令人发指的暴行。
• I am shocked by the atrocity of this man's crimes.这个人行凶手段残忍狠毒使我震惊。

5 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

6 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

7 maim   

v.使残废，使不能工作，使伤残

参考例句：

• Automobile accidents maim many people each year. 汽车车祸每年使许多人残废。
• These people kill and maim innocent civilians.这些人杀死和残害无辜平民。

8 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

9 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

10 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

11 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。