VOA标准英语2008年-EU Pushes Unity Government in Zimbabwe

The European Union said on Wednesday that Zimbabwean opposition¹ leader Morgan Tsvangirai should serve as prime minister in any national unity² government with President Robert Mugabe. From London, Tendai Maphosa has more in this report for VOA.

EU spokesman John Clancy told reporters on Wednesday that the EU backs African Union efforts to push for the creation of a government of national unity between the two men.
　
Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai addresses the media in Harare, 02 Jul 2008

"Morgan Tsvangirai must be part of any transitional government and if we reflect the first round of the election where he won a majority of the vote with 47 percent then it's clear that he should be a leading member of that government as it's potential prime minister or the head of government to ensure that certain reforms can take place," Clancy said to VOA.

The statement follows a similar call on Tuesday by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country has just taken over the EU's rotating presidency³.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown also echoed the EU position. Addressing parliament Wednesday, he said the only credible⁴ election was the March 29 poll won by Tsvangirai's MDC party. He described Friday's poll in which President Robert Mugabe was the only candidate as a travesty⁵.
　
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, 23 Jun 2008

"I am pleased that yesterday the African Union called for an end to violence, set up a system of mediation⁶ and we are talking about a transitional government in Zimbabwe," said Brown.

"Having talked to the U.N. secretary general this morning, I think it's right that the U.N. send an envoy⁷ to Zimbabwe, in the absence of real change we will step up our sanctions and ask other countries to do so and we'll ask other countries to do so, we will press for tough action on Zimbabwe at the Security Council later today, we will do so at the G8 in coming days, there will not be support for reconstruction⁸ in Zimbabwe until democracy is restored," he added.

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki has been the mediator⁹ between Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF and Mr. Tsvangirai's MDC party. He said at the end of the two-day African Union summit, that it's up to Zimbabweans to solve their political future.

Mr. Tsvangirai has rejected an African Union decision to keep South Africa's president in charge of efforts to resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis. He said that his group would not participate in talks about forming a governing accord with President Robert Mugabe's government unless an additional mediator was appointed.

Mr. Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round in March, but not enough to avoid a runoff. He withdrew from the race just days before the second round, citing widespread violence against opposition supporters. Mr. Mugabe claimed victory on Sunday after Friday's vote.

 

1 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。

2 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

3 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。

4 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

5 travesty   

n.歪曲，嘲弄，滑稽化

参考例句：

• The trial was a travesty of justice.这次审判嘲弄了法律的公正性。
• The play was,in their view,a travesty of the truth.这个剧本在他们看来是对事实的歪曲。

6 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

7 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

8 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

9 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。