2007年VOA标准英语-UN Proposal Recommends Independence for Kosovo

By Peter Heinlein
United Nations
26 March 2007

The U.N. mediator¹ for Kosovo has recommended independence for the breakaway Serbian province. From U.N. headquarters, correspondent Peter Heinlein reports Serbian officials called the decision "unacceptable".

In a long-awaited report to the U.N. Security Council, Special envoy² Martti Ahtisaari says "independence is the only viable³ option for a politically stable and economically viable Kosovo."

At the same time, Ahtisaari says the region is not yet ready to tackle challenges such as protection of minorities, economic development, and social reconciliation⁴.

He recommends an international civilian⁵ and military presence be maintained in the region for an unspecified 'initial period', until Kosovo has the capacity to stand on its own.

Kosovo's 90 percent ethnic⁶-Albanian majority hailed the decision, but Serbian President Boris Tadic Monday called any form of independence for Kosovo "unacceptable". He said Serbia remains⁷ ready to 'constructively⁸ engage' in further talks on the province's future.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is in the Middle East, but spokesperson Marie Okabe says he accepts Ahtisaari's concept of 'supervised independence.'

"The Security Council has been presented with a plan which the secretary-general believes contains all of the right elements for fair and sustainable solution to Kosovo's future status," she said.

Nicholas Burns (file photo)

U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns was in Brussels when the report was released. He expressed Washington's full support for Ahtisaari's conclusions.

Burns explained 'supervised independence' as a means to provide Kosovo a 'way forward' toward independence, while ensuring the rights of the region's ethnic-Serb minority.

"The European Union would provide economic assistance for a period of time, NATO troops would continue to provide security and that there would be provisions for security for the Serb population for its churches, for its monasteries⁹ and for the people themselves, but that we have to get on and see that Kosovo become an independent state," he said. "And the United States supports that process."

Burns said he thinks the U.N. Security Council could pass a resolution confirming Kosovo's future status either in April or May.

Agreement in the Council is complicated by veto-wielding Russia's insistence¹⁰ that any Kosovo solution be acceptable to both sides. Ahtisaari has said he reached his recommendation for independence only after determining that the two sides were so far apart that a mutually acceptable solution was impossible.

Nevertheless, Burns remains optimistic. He told reporters he expects five to seven weeks of consultations¹¹ to find the best way forward before the Security Council votes.

Kosovo has been under U.N. administration since 1999, after a three-month NATO bombing campaign drove Serb forces from the former Yugoslavia out of the province, ending a deadly Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanians.

The Ahtisaari plan sets the stage for eventual¹² full independence for the region, including provisions for a constitution, a flag, an army, and guarantees that minority Serbs would be allowed to run their own affairs. The plan also gives Kosovo the right to join international organizations reserved for sovereign states.

1 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 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。

4 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

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 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

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 constructively   

ad.有益的，积极的

参考例句：

• Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom. 如此富有意义地利用业余时间来进行收藏，会使人怡然自得，无暇烦恼。
• The HKSAR will continue to participate constructively in these activities. 香港会继续积极参与这些活动。

9 monasteries   

修道院( monastery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In ancient China, there were lots of monasteries. 在古时候，中国有许多寺院。
• The Negev became a religious center with many monasteries and churches. 内格夫成为许多庙宇和教堂的宗教中心。

10 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

11 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》

12 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。