VOA标准英语2008年-India's Communist Parties Withdraw Government S

In India, a bloc¹ of leftist parties is withdrawing support to the Congress-led coalition² to protest the government's decision to go ahead with a controversial civilian³ nuclear deal with the United States. But as Anjana Pasricha reports, the government is expected to continue in power with the support of a regional party.

The decision by four left-wing and communist parties to take back support from the Congress-led coalition came as no surprise.

It was triggered by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that the government will seek approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency "very soon" for a civilian nuclear deal signed with the United States.
　
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Prakash Karat, sits for a media briefing in New Delhi, 08 Jul 2008

The head of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Prakash Karat, said in New Delhi that the decision was inevitable⁴ in view of the government's decision to press ahead with the deal.

"As you are aware the left parties decided⁵ that if the government goes to the IAEA Board of governors, they will withdraw support. In view of the prime minister's announcement, that time has come," he said.

The communist parties strongly oppose the deal, saying it will give Washington too much influence over India's foreign policy and nuclear weapons program. They say they will formally withdraw support on Wednesday.

The government, whose term expires next year, does not have a majority in parliament and had depended on the outside support extended by the 59 lawmakers of the leftist parties.

But Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is currently in Japan to attend the G8 summit, says the stability of his government will not be affected⁶ by the decision of the leftist parties to walk out.
　
Manmohan Singh (file photo)

The prime minister's confidence is based on a political deal the Congress Party recently struck with a former adversary⁷, the Samajwadi Party.

The Samajwadi Party had earlier opposed the nuclear pact⁸. But its leader, Amar Singh, has now pledged to back the Congress Party.

Singh says all members of parliament in his party will vote to support both the government and the nuclear deal in parliament.

The nuclear deal will give India access to civilian nuclear technology, although it has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. The Congress Party has been strongly pitching for the pact, saying it is in national interest and will give India access to nuclear energy to meet its future needs.

　

 

1 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 adversary   

adj.敌手，对手

参考例句：

• He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。
• They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。

8 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。