2006年VOA标准英语-President Bush Travels to India, Pakistan

By Paula Wolfson
White House
27 February 2006

George Bush  
  
President Bush is heading to South Asia this week for his first trip to India and Pakistan, long-time nuclear rivals that have been taking steps to ease cross-border tensions. 

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It will be a brief trip, only a few days, but it will be loaded with symbolism.

President Bush says it will be an opportunity to mark a transformation¹ in America's relationship with the two countries.  It is a transformation that began over a decade ago.

"The United States has not always enjoyed close relations with Pakistan and India," he said.  "In the past, the Cold War and regional tensions kept us apart.  But, today our interests and values are bringing us closer together."

In India, the president hopes to highlight that transformation of relations by signing a nuclear cooperation deal, if negotiators are able to flesh out an agreement in principle in time for the visit.

Under terms of the agreement, India would be able to obtain help for its civilian² energy program, if it agrees to place that program under international safeguards.  

 
President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
  
Former U.S. Ambassador to India Robert Blackwell says it is a radical³ idea, given that the Indian government has long conducted its nuclear activities in secret, and originally developed nuclear weapons under the guise⁴ of a civilian energy program.

"It will be debated in our Congress, and it will be debated in their parliament," said Mr. Blackwell.  "And it should be, because it is really quite fundamental. And it is not surprising that this step, which I would call a radical step -- it is not surprising that it has incited⁵ such debate in both countries."

It was hoped the nuclear deal would be the centerpiece of the president's visit to India.  White House National Security Advisor⁶ Stephen Hadley says he remains⁷ hopeful a final deal can be reached in time.

"We would like to get it before the trip," he said.  "If we can, that is great. If we cannot, we will continue to negotiate it after the trip."

Without a deal, the stay in India is likely to be dominated by talk of trade and investment, Iran's nuclear ambitions, and cooperation in the war on terror.   Those same topics will be at the fore⁸ when the president travels on to Pakistan.

The two nuclear armed countries have been traditional rivals, but relations have improved significantly recently. President Bush is sure to raise that point in Islamabad, where he will highlight cooperation in numerous areas, and call for enhanced efforts to resolve the dispute over divided Kashmir.

"For too long, Kashmir has been a source of violence and mistrust between these two countries," said Mr. Bush.  "But I believe that India and Pakistan now have an historic opportunity to work toward lasting⁹ peace."

The visit to Islamabad also comes at a time of tensions in the Muslim world, sparked by political cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. There have been violent protests in many countries, including Pakistan.

Pakistani authorities have banned demonstrations¹⁰ in several major cities, and rounded up dozens of activists¹¹ and Islamic religious leaders. More rallies are scheduled, including a nationwide strike while the president is in the region.

US President George W. Bush, left, meets with Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf  
  
President Bush says it never crossed his mind to cancel the trip. Marvin Weinbaum is a scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington.  He says canceling would send a bad signal about U.S. confidence in Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who is considered a key U.S. ally in the war on terrorism, particularly in the troubled border region with Afghanistan.

"Not to go would clearly be a vote of no confidence in the Musharraf-led government," said Mr. Weinbaum.  "After all, we are asking Pakistan to secure the border. Are we prepared to say, 'but you can not secure parts of Islamabad'?"

Security will be tight everywhere Mr. Bush goes, in sharp contrast to the 1959 South Asia tour by Dwight Eisenhower, the first U.S. president to visit the region.

India's ambassador to the United States, Ronan Sen, remembers how President Eisenhower traveled the country in an open motorcade with hundreds-of-thousands of people in the streets. He says President Bush will not be so fortunate.

"I am afraid those days are gone.  He will not in that sense feel the vibrancy¹² of our democracy," said Mr. Sen.

The president's itinerary¹³ will be full of formal events and little, if any, time for sightseeing.  He is expected to visit one of India's technology centers, but will not tour the Taj Mahal, or any of the country's other major attractions.

In Pakistan, his stay is likely to be all business, except for one item on his schedule.  Aides say Mr. Bush, the former owner of a baseball team, will take a little time out to watch some cricket.

1 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

4 guise   

n.外表，伪装的姿态

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors.他们假装成视察员进了学校。
• The thief came into the house under the guise of a repairman.那小偷扮成个修理匠进了屋子。

5 incited   

刺激，激励，煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He incited people to rise up against the government. 他煽动人们起来反对政府。
• The captain's example incited the men to bravery. 船长的榜样激发了水手们的勇敢精神。

6 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 fore   

adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部

参考例句：

• Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
• I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。

9 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

11 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 vibrancy   

n.活跃；震动

参考例句：

• I like the vibrancy of her character.我喜欢她的活泼性格。
• Tom felt himself being drawn towards her vibrant personality. 汤姆感觉自己被她充满朝气的个性所吸引。

13 itinerary   

n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划

参考例句：

• The two sides have agreed on the itinerary of the visit.双方商定了访问日程。
• The next place on our itinerary was Silistra.我们行程的下一站是锡利斯特拉。