VOA常速英语2007-US House Speaker: Armenian Genocide Measure Will

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
11 October 2007

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, says a resolution approved by a House committee this week characterizing the World War I-era killings¹ of tens of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide will go to a vote in the House. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, President Bush wants the resolution stopped, saying it will harm relations with Turkey and U.S. interests in the region.

Speaking a day after the 27 to 21 vote in the foreign affairs committee approving the resolution, Pelosi reaffirmed her determination to see the measure come to a vote in the House.

Some 224 House lawmakers have signed on in support of the resolution, which Pelosi and House majority leader Steny Hoyer say will be brought up at some point before the House is due to end its current session, likely next month.

Pelosi told reporters at her weekly news conference that congressional resolutions on Armenian genocide have been put off, with various justifications², over the past 20 years.

There is never a good time to acknowledge that genocide has taken place, Pelosi adds, whether in the distant past or the present.

"While that may have been a long time ago, genocide is taking place now in Darfur, it did within recent memory in Rwanda, so as long as there is genocide there is need to speak out against it," said Nancy Pelosi.

In the wake of the committee vote, Turkey temporarily recalled its ambassador in Washington for consultations³, a traditional method of diplomatic protest.

Speaking in Washington, Egemen Bagis, a member of Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party and advisor⁴ to Turkey's Prime Minister, called the House committee vote a mistake and warned of consequences.

However, Congresswoman Pelosi hopes U.S.-Turkish relations will remain strong:

"The U.S. and Turkey have a very strong relationship," she said. "It is based on mutual⁵ interest and I with all the respect in the world for the government of Turkey believe that our continued mutual interest will have us grow that relationship. This isn't about the Erdogan government [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan], this is about the [former] Ottoman Empire."

Pelosi dismissed suggestions of any connection between the House resolution moving forward and Turkish government plans for a possible military incursion into northern Iraq against Kurdish rebels.

Wednesday's House committee vote highlighted the divisions across party lines on the resolution, with eight Democrats⁶ voting against and eight Republicans voting for the measure.

At the White House, spokeswoman Dana Perino reiterated⁷ President Bush's hope that the resolution will go no farther in the House.

"The president has expressed on behalf of the American people our horror at the tragedy of 1915, but at the same time we have national security concerns, and many of our troops and supplies go through Turkey," said Dana Perino. "They are a very important ally in the war on terror, and we are going to continue to try work with them and we hope that the House does not put forward a full vote."

In its reaction, the State Department expressed regret over the House committee vote, saying it may do grave harm to U.S. - Turkish relations and U.S. interest in Europe and the Middle East.

1 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

2 justifications   

正当的理由，辩解的理由( justification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If he a vulgar person, she does not have justifications for him. 如果他是个低级趣味的人，她早就不会理他了。
• It depends on their effect on competition and possible justifications. 这则取决于它们对于竞争的影响和可能存在的正当抗辩理由。

3 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 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。

5 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

8 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

9 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。