2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Calls for Sustainable Mideast Peace

By Paula Wolfson
White House
31 July 2006

President Bush says America mourns the loss of life in the Lebanese village of Qana. The president says his goal is a sustained peace in the region.

President Bush says the US looking for sustained peace in Middle East   
  
President Bush says America sends its sympathies to the victims of the Qana bombing and all those who have suffered throughout this latest crisis in the Middle East.

In brief comments to reporters, the president said he will continue to press for a long term solution to the dispute between Israel and Lebanese-based Hezbollah militants¹. "The United States is resolved to work with the members of the United Nations Security Council to develop a resolution that will enable the region to have a sustainable peace, a peace that lasts, a peace that will enable mothers and fathers to raise their children in a hopeful world," he said.

Mr. Bush said he has discussed the latest developments in the region with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He also said he has been in frequent contact with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was in Israel when the attack on Qana occurred. "I have been in touch with Secretary of State Rice twice today. She will be returning tomorrow when she will brief" me on her discussions with leaders in the Middle East," he said.

The Secretary of State was supposed to go to both Israel and Lebanon during this latest round of Middle East diplomacy². But after the incident in Qana, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora made clear there was no reason for her to travel to Beirut unless she was willing to talk about an immediate³ ceasefire.

He was interviewed on the CBS television program Face the Nation. What we have really been witnessing is something beyond description. This is something that is unacceptable. That's why we are asking for an immediate and unconditional⁴ ceasefire. We can not continue discussing under the sword of blood that is being put on our necks," he said.

Appearing on the same program, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres expressed deep regret for the death of civilians⁶, including dozens of children, in Qana. He stressed Israel's fight is not with the Lebanese people, but with the Hezbollah militants who are using them for cover. "In the Israeli case, we distinguish between the military and the civilian⁵. We shall never put arms in civilian surroundings. Hezbollah is very cynical⁷. They put their rockets and missiles amid civilian lives," he said.

Earlier, the White House issued a statement urging Israel to exercise the utmost care to avoid civilian casualties. It made no mention of calls for an immediate cease-fire. Instead, the statement focused on the need for a solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict and removes the threat to Israel posed by armed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

1 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。

2 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

5 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。

6 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

7 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。