VOA标准英语2008年-UN Elects Ex-Sandinista as Assembly President

By Barbara Schoetzau
New York
04 June 2008

The 192-member United Nations General Assembly has elected for one-year term a former Nicaraguan Foreign Minister and Catholic priest as its new president. From VOA's New York Bureau, correspondent Barbara Schoetzau reports Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann will oversee¹ the annual General Assembly debate with world leaders in September.
　

Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann at UN, 4 Jun 2008

D'Escoto was elected by acclamation to take over as head of the 63rd session September 16. He was the only candidate of the Latin American and Caribbean region which was in line for the rotating post.

D'Escoto, the son of a Nicaraguan diplomat², was born in the United States in Los Angeles. He was ordained³ as a Roman Catholic priest and, later, admonished⁴ by Pope John Paul for his involvement in politics. But he continued to support the Sandinista National Liberation Front and was appointed foreign minister when the insurgents⁵ came to power in 1979. He remained in that position until the Sandinistas lost power in 1990.

D'Escoto's first meeting with the news media after his election got off to a rocky start as several reporters asked questions about his criticisms of the United States over the years. D'Escoto says he has always had great love for the United States, regardless of his opposition⁶ to some U.S. policies. At the same time, he says his top priority will be to end the dominance of the United States and Europe at the United Nations, especially on the powerful Security Council.

"I hope my presidency⁷ will address what has become a universal clamor all over the world for the democratization of the United Nations. I promise to give full support to the working group on the revitalization of the General Assembly. I bring nothing new. It is a matter of emphasis," he said.

D'Escoto says other priorities will include dealing⁸ with rising prices worldwide for food and energy.

D'Escoto will succeed Srgjan Kerim of Macedonia.

1 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

2 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

3 ordained   

v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定

参考例句：

• He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句

4 admonished   

v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责

参考例句：

• She was admonished for chewing gum in class. 她在课堂上嚼口香糖，受到了告诫。
• The teacher admonished the child for coming late to school. 那个孩子迟到，老师批评了他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

6 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。

7 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。