VOA常速英语2007年-Britain, US to Organize Investors'Conference fo

By Tom Rivers
London
18 December 2007

A day after international delegates agreed in Paris to give at least $7 billion in aid to the Palestinians, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met British PM Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street.  After the discussions Tuesday, the two held a joint¹ news conference. In London, Tom Rivers reports for VOA.

The British prime minister announced that the U.S. and Britain will organize an investors²' conference to bolster³ the Palestinian economy. Mr. Brown said it will take place in Bethlehem, on the West Bank, in March or April.

The announcement came after the prime minister held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at Mr. Brown's official London residence.

The investors' gathering⁴ is designed to work in conjunction with the large donor⁵ effort agreed on Monday in Paris that earmarks $7.4 billion worth of aid for the Palestinians over the next three years.

Mr. Brown says he has been in talks with colleagues on how best to address ways of improving the Palestinian economy, infrastructure⁶ development and small business plans. He says the Bethlehem conference will send an important signal about the need for investment in job creation and opportunities in the Palestinian areas.

Speaking about the Paris conference, the British prime minister said the pledges made in Paris reflect the international community's commitment to the Palestinians.

"I believe that these pledges yesterday underline the international community's commitment that 2008 is the year of great opportunity for the creation of a viable⁷ state of Palestine alongside a secure state of Israel," he said.

At the news conference, Mr. Abbas talked about a golden and historic opportunity for peace in the Middle East following the relaunch of peace efforts at Annapolis, Maryland last month, but he urged Israel to halt settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

"We believe the settlements and the ongoing⁸ establishment of settlements are major impediments facing the progress of the peace process," he said.

The financial pledges made in Paris are aimed at helping⁹ the moderate Palestinian president, whose Fatah movement controls the West Bank, in its power struggle with the Islamic militant¹⁰ group Hamas, which seized power in Gaza in June.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

8 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。