VOA标准英语2008年-Bush Meets With New Pakistani President

President Bush has met for the first time with Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from the White House the meeting came just days after a terrorist attack on an Islamabad hotel that claimed dozens of lives.
　
President Bush meets with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, in New York, 23 Sep 2008

President Bush says Americans grieve with the families of those killed in the Islamabad truck bombing. He says the new Pakistani president knows from personal experience what it is like to lose a loved one to terror.

"I know that you - your heart went out to the families of those who suffer and so does the collective heart of the American people; we stand with you," said Mr. Bush.

Asif Ali Zardari is the widower¹ of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated² at a campaign rally last December. He took on a prominent political role after her death, and recently assumed the presidency³ after Pervez Musharraf resigned under pressure.

The Bush administration is seeking to step up cooperation with Pakistan's new leaders on combating terrorism, especially in the Pakistani tribal⁴ areas bordering Afghanistan.

There have been tensions in recent days over whether or not American forces can launch cross-border operations without the prior consent of the Pakistani government.

In their public comments, both men spoke⁵ of the issue in very diplomatic terms. President Bush took note of Pakistan's concerns.

"Your words have been very strong about Pakistan's sovereign right and sovereign duty to protect your country, and the United States wants to help," he said.

President Zardari focused his remarks on the growing strength of democracy in Pakistan. He did not refer directly to the recent transition of power and the resignation of his predecessor⁶. He spoke in broader terms, saying democracy has come full circle in his country and Pakistan is ready to move on.

"And democracy is the answer. We will solve all the problems. We have a situation. We have issues. We have got problems. But we will solve them and we will rise to the occasion," said Mr. Zardari.

President Bush's first meeting with the new Pakistani president took place in New York City, where both men are attending the U.N. General Assembly.

Mr. Bush usually has numerous bilateral⁷ meetings during his trips to the United Nations. But this year his schedule is limited.

That is in large part because many of the foreign leaders he usually meets at the General Assembly are coming to Washington after they address the world body for one last visit to the White House before President Bush leaves office.

 

1 widower   

n.鳏夫

参考例句：

• George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。
• Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后，他终于决定二婚了。

2 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

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 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

5 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。

6 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

7 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。