2007年VOA标准英语-Rice Meets with Palestinian President in West B

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
20 September 2007

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is winding¹ up a two-day peace mission to the Middle East. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, her discussions have focused on Palestinian statehood.

Secretary of State Rice traveled to the West Bank town of Ramallah to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The talks focused on a document on Palestinian statehood to be presented at an international peace conference in the United States, possibly in November.

"We do not need a photo-opportunity," said Rice. "We need a meeting that will advance the cause of a Palestinian state. That is the only reason to have a meeting."

Rice said both sides are serious.

"I will work, I know that the President [Abbas] and [Israeli] Prime Minister [Ehud] Olmert will work and that their teams will work; and their teams will work very aggressively, very urgently to lay the groundwork for a successful meeting," she said.

Mr. Abbas said he expects the conference to lead to serious negotiations² with Israel.

He said the document on Palestinian statehood must tackle key issues, such as Jerusalem, refugees, and final borders.

But those issues have baffled negotiators for decades, and Israel believes it is impossible to reach a framework agreement in just two months. Therefore, it says it prefers a vague declaration of principles.

These differences have raised fears that the peace conference will not meet expectations. But Israeli President Shimon Peres, who met with Rice earlier in the day, believes a compromise formula can be achieved.

"I think the interest of all parties is not to let the proposed conference to fail, but make it into a real success," said Peres.

But the Islamic militant³ group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, is out to play the spoiler. The group seized control of Gaza three months ago, after routing the forces of the rival Fatah faction⁴, led by Mr. Abbas.

Hamas, which seeks Israel's destruction, said it would not be bound by any agreement between Mr. Abbas and the Jewish state.

1 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 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。

4 faction   

n.宗派，小集团；派别；派系斗争

参考例句：

• Faction and self-interest appear to be the norm.派系之争和自私自利看来非常普遍。
• I now understood clearly that I was caught between the king and the Bunam's faction.我现在完全明白自己已陷入困境，在国王与布纳姆集团之间左右为难。