VOA常速英语2008年-North American Leaders Conclude Summit in New O

By Greg Flakus
New Orleans
22 April 2008
 

U.S. President George Bush and the leaders of Canada and Mexico concluded their two-day summit meeting in New Orleans Tuesday, highlighting the benefits all three nations have gained from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  As VOA's Greg Flakus reports from New Orleans, President Bush also used the occasion to urge the U.S. Congress to approve a trade deal with Colombia.With his North American counterparts standing¹ next to him, President Bush made a strong appeal to the Democrat² controlled U.S. Congress to reconsider the trade deal his administration negotiated with Colombia.  He cited Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's efforts to fight drug traffickers and terrorists and said the United States should back him.

 

"If we do not agree to a free trade agreement that we negotiated in good faith with them, it will undermine his efforts, it will destabilize parts of the world, and it would be a big mistake for Congress to turn its back on Colombia," he said.

He singled out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying if she doesn't schedule a vote on the free trade pact³ with Colombia, she will have killed it.

President Bush also criticized calls by both Democratic candidates for president, Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama, to renegotiate NAFTA.  The president said the trade agreement has been good for all three countries in North America and has created jobs and opportunities for U.S. citizens that outweigh⁴ any of its drawbacks.

In this he was joined by the other North American leaders, who cited figures showing benefits to their nations.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon said the agreement has promoted job growth and a rise in income level in his nation.  Speaking through a translator, he warned that any change in the agreement that would reduce the trade benefits would increase the number of Mexican workers who would have to go north of the border seeking employment.

"And another factor I discussed with President Bush yesterday that he reiterated⁶ today and I will reiterate⁵ now as well would be a sudden loss of economic opportunities that would lead to even greater migratory⁷ pressure with the United States," he said.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his nation would be open to any adjustments that a future U.S. president might seek in the trade agreement, but he said he sees no reason to make any substantive⁸ changes.

"I can tell you when I meet business people, not just from our country, but from around the continent, the benefits of our NAFTA relationship are without question," he said.  "What all the focus is in our discussions is how to make it work better, how to make the border thinner, how to make commerce flow more quickly, more freely."

Both Prime Minister Harper and President Calderon also backed President Bush's argument for a trade deal with Colombia, saying that expansion of trade in the western hemisphere benefits everyone.  Mexico already has its own trade agreement with Colombia and Canada is beginning talks aimed at creating an agreement.

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

4 outweigh   

vt.比...更重，...更重要

参考例句：

• The merits of your plan outweigh the defects.你制定的计划其优点胜过缺点。
• One's merits outweigh one's short-comings.功大于过。

5 reiterate   

v.重申，反复地说

参考例句：

• Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
• I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。

6 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

7 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。

8 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。