VOA标准英语2008年-US Presses for Zimbabwe Vote at UN Security Cou

The United States says it believes it has enough votes to move forward this week on a Security Council resolution sanctioning Zimbabwe's president and members of his inner circle. But some other council members are still expressing doubt over whether sanctions are the appropriate way to go right now. From United Nation's headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.
　
US UN Amb.Zalmay Khalilzad, 8 Jul 2008

The U.S.-drafted resolution calls for economic and travel sanctions against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and 13 of his closest allies, as well as an expanded arms embargo¹ against the government.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad said Tuesday that the Security Council cannot be indifferent to what is happening in Zimbabwe and that action is required.

"I believe a clear majority of the council members who spoke² - and the numbers that are necessary for a resolution to pass - assuming there is no veto, are there in support of the course that I have outlined. I think they are persuaded by the argument that we have to act and we have to act in way that incentivizes cooperation and helps get Zimbabwe out of the current crisis," he said.
　
UN Security Council session on Zimbabwe, 8 Jul 2008

In order to pass, the measure requires at least nine of the 15 council members to vote in favor and none of the five veto-wielding members to vote against it.

The United States has support from at least two of the other five veto-carrying countries - France and Britain. China, which has strong trade ties with Zimbabwe, is not likely to risk more bad publicity³ by vetoing the measure just weeks ahead of hosting the Olympic Games and could either vote in favor or abstain⁴.

But Russia has expressed serious reservations about the resolution. "We need to remind ourselves from time-to-time that the U.N. Charter does not empower the Security Council to interfere⁵ in internal affairs of states unless the situation there poses a threat to international peace and security. There is a serious question in our mind if the situation in Zimbabwe can be characterized as a threat to international peace and security - at least to an extent which would warrant passing of a Security Council resolution under Chapter 7," said Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.

Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter authorizes⁶ the Security Council to determine threats to international peace and take military or non-military action to restore peace and stability.
　
South Africa's UN Ambassador, Dumisani Kumalo, 8 Jul 2008

South Africa has also questioned whether the situation in Zimbabwe is a threat to international peace and security. President Thabo Mbeki has been leading regional efforts to mediate⁷ an end to the crisis, but so far those efforts have been unsuccessful and Mr. Mbeki has come under some international criticism for his soft approach and close relationship with Mr. Mugabe.

South Africa's U.N. Ambassador, Dumisani Kumalo said sanctions would only create more complications. "We understand. We share the frustration⁸ of everybody. But we say don't take measures that are going to complicate⁹ the situation and literally¹⁰ blow the country apart. Take measures that will urge the parties to go ahead and seek a political solution," he said.

Several council members have also expressed concern about setting a precedent¹¹ in interfering¹² in a country's elections, saying that is not in the realm of the Security Council's authority.

During its meeting Tuesday, the council was briefed privately¹³ by U.N. envoy¹⁴ Haile Menkerios, who recently visited Zimbabwe. In a public session they heard from U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's deputy, Asha-Rose Migiro, just back from the African Union summit in Egypt.

Mrs. Migiro called the elections "seriously flawed" and said the only way out of the crisis is for the two sides to agree on a political solution that would pave the way for a democratic transition and economic recovery. She said the creation of a government of national unity¹⁵ as a way forward enjoys broad support in the region and that the U.N. secretary-general strongly supports this recommendation.

　

 

1 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

4 abstain   

v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免

参考例句：

• His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.他的医生嘱咐他戒酒。
• Three Conservative MPs abstained in the vote.三位保守党下院议员投了弃权票。

5 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

6 authorizes   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The dictionary authorizes the two spellings 'traveler' and 'traveller'. 字典裁定traveler和traveller两种拼法都对。
• The dictionary authorizes the two spellings "honor" and "honour.". 字典裁定 honor 及 honour 两种拼法均可。

7 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

8 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

9 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

10 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

11 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

12 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

13 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

14 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。

15 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。