VOA常速英语2008年-Kenya Parliament to Meet as Crisis Talks Resume

By Scott Bobb
Nairobi
11 February 2008

The Kenyan parliament is to meet Tuesday to hear reports on the reconciliation¹ talks under way between the government and opposition². The talks resumed Monday seeking to build on progress made last week. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Nairobi.

Negotiators from both sides were tight-lipped Monday, as they resumed negotiations³ to end the crisis that has rocked Kenyan society and threatens economic growth.

The chief mediator⁴, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, sought to build on advances made last week when the two sides agreed that a political solution was needed to end the crisis.

The speaker of Parliament, Kenneth Marende, said the legislative⁵ body would meet Tuesday in an informal session to discuss the negotiations.

"There may be pieces of legislation that will need to be enacted⁶ including perhaps possible changes to the constitution. Those will be on the table," Marende said.

Progress was made last week when opposition leaders said they would drop their demand for the resignation of President Mwai Kibaki, who they say rigged the election in his favor.

Government negotiators dropped their insistence⁷ that the opposition press its objections through the courts.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga Sunday underscored the new flexibility⁸ but indicated the negotiating would be hard.

"We are going there with an open mind, open heart," Odinga said. "All that we have said is that we are not going to betray our supporters. But in as far as giving and taking, we are prepared (to do so)."

Kenyan leaders are under intense pressure from at home and abroad to reach a solution.

The United Nations Humanitarian⁹ Coordinator¹⁰ John Holmes said the country faces a major humanitarian crisis. At the end of a three-day visit that included visits to several camps of displaced people, Holmes said the world body is anxious for a successful conclusion to the talks as soon as possible.

"It is also clear that while a rapid political solution to the immediate¹¹ problems is needed there are some very deep underlying¹² causes of the violence which also need to be dealt with over time and it is vital that the politicians address those problems as well," Holmes said.

Relief officials say more than 300,000 Kenyans have been displaced by the violence. Holmes said the actual number is much higher because many are staying with relatives rather than in camps.

He said humanitarian efforts would be needed for some time as many displaced people no longer had homes to return to.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

6 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

7 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。

8 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

9 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

10 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。