VOA常速英语2008年-Kenya Crisis Negotiators Turn to Political Issu

By Scott Bobb
Nairobi
05 February 2008

Negotiations¹ aimed at ending the crisis in Kenya are focusing on a political solution to December's disputed elections that left nearly 1,000 people dead and 300,000 homeless.  Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Nairobi that the talks resumed Tuesday after negotiators agreed to end the violence and promote reconciliation².

Government and opposition³ negotiators in Kenya began talks on what are seen as the most difficult issues behind the violence that has gripped the country for more than a month.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is mediating⁴ the talks, expressed satisfaction Tuesday. 

"We are beginning to work as a team, a team put together to help Kenya get out of this crisis, a team put together to help us come up with a long-term viable⁵ solution," he said.

He said the solution should strengthen democracy and include electoral, constitutional and land reforms.

A member of the government's negotiating team, Sam Ongeri, said the ultimate goal of the talks is a return to normalcy.

"It must lead inevitably⁶ to the total security of our nation," he said.  "Secondly⁷, it must lead toward reconciliation.  And thirdly, the country must move on."

A negotiator for the opposition, Moses Mudavadi, was more cautious.

"We are optimistic, but let us just say it [the process] is just starting," he said.

Violence broke out across Kenya in December after the opposition Orange Democratic Movement of presidential candidate Raila Odinga claimed election results were rigged in order to give a second term to President Mwai Kibaki.

Many pro-democracy groups want a new presidential vote.  Some negotiators have said a power-sharing arrangement would be the best way to end the crisis that has torn society and threatened the once vibrant⁸ Kenyan economy.  But both sides have rejected such a deal.

Mr. Annan has set a deadline of 15 days to reach agreement on the political issues.

The two sides agreed Monday to provide food and shelter to people displaced by the violence and to help them return home safely.  They also agreed to establish a truth and reconciliation commission similar to those set up in other countries following periods of strife⁹.

Mr. Annan had designated South African businessman Cyril Ramaphosa as his chief mediator¹⁰.  But Ramaphosa withdrew Monday after Kenya's government rejected his nomination¹¹.

The Red Cross says the death toll¹² from the violence has risen to more than 1,000 and more than 300,000 people have been displaced.

More than 70 people have been killed in the past several days, mostly in clashes in western Kenya near the Ugandan border.

1 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。

2 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。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 mediating   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的现在分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• So many factors are mediating. 如此众多的因素在起作用。
• The contrast in mediating noted in the sitting room. 客厅中注重了调和中的对比。

5 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。

6 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

7 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

8 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

9 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

10 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。

11 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

12 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。