VOA标准英语2008年-Israel's President Offers Olive Branch to Arab

Israel's President has invited Arab leaders to come to Jerusalem to discuss the peace process. Shimon Peres said he would gladly accept an Arab invitation to go to a place where meaningful dialogue could occur. He made the offer during his address to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday. From United Nation's headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more on the second day of the annual meeting.
　
Israeli President Shimon Peres addresses 63rd session of United Nations General Assembly, 24 Sept. 2008

President Peres told the General Assembly that Israel is ready to negotiate full peace with the Palestinians to achieve two states living side-by-side in peace and security.

"We tried to conclude those negotiations¹ this year. It will take apparently² a longer period of time. I believe it can be accomplished³ within the next year," he said.

He said his country is ready to explore a comprehensive compromise that could lead to peace with Syria as well, saying that Israel has suggested face-to-face meetings with President Bashar al-Assad, but has not yet received an answer.

Mr. Peres also reached out to Lebanon, suggesting immediate⁴ peace with that neighbor is possible.

And he urged Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah to follow up on the peace initiative he introduced during the Arab League Summit in Beirut in 2002, that offered normalization⁵ of relations between Arab States and Israel in exchange for a full withdrawal⁶ from Arab territories and a Palestinian state.

But on the subject of Iran, President Peres said Tehran is at the "center of violence and fanaticism⁸" and is a danger to the world because of its hateful attitude toward Israel, its state support of terrorism and its efforts to develop nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

"The Iranian people are not our enemies. Their fanatic⁷ leadership is their problem and the world's worry," Mr. Peres said. "Their leader is a danger to his own people, to the region, to the world. He is a disgrace to the ancient Iranian people and tradition. He is a disgrace to the values of Islam and all religions. He is a disgrace to this house - the United Nations - its basic principles and values. His appearance here is already a shame."

Mr. Peres was referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who addressed the Assembly on Tuesday. During his speech, Mr. Ahmadinejad lashed⁹ out at the Jewish state, blaming what he called a "Zionist network" for controlling American and European foreign policy and dominating world financial markets in a deceitful and secretive manner.
　
Afghan President Hamid Karzai addresses the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly Wednesday, 24 Sept. 2008 at the United Nations

Also addressing the General Assembly on Wednesday was Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai. He said terrorism still plagues his country and has spread to neighbors Pakistan and India.

"To the extent that terrorism in our region continues to be a global threat, evolving in nature and tactics, the struggle against it must continue unabated," Mr. Karzai said.

While China's Premier¹⁰ Wen Jiabao thanked the international community for its support during his country's devastating¹¹ earthquake in May and as it hosted the Summer Olympic Games. He said China is now on a path of sustained development that would be achieved through reform and openness.

The General Assembly also heard Wednesday from a number of presidents, including those from Mexico, Ukraine, Chile, Sri Lanka and Senegal. The annual meeting continues on Thursday, when the presidents of Iraq, Zimbabwe and Pakistan are among those scheduled to speak.

 

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

4 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

5 normalization   

n.（normalisation）正常化，标准化

参考例句：

• The visit signalled the normalization of relations between the two countries.这次访问显示两国关系已经正常化。
• He was pleased to the normalization of relationship between the police and the people.他很高兴警方和人民之间关系的正常化。

6 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

7 fanatic   

n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的

参考例句：

• Alexander is a football fanatic.亚历山大是个足球迷。
• I am not a religious fanatic but I am a Christian.我不是宗教狂热分子，但我是基督徒。

8 fanaticism   

n.狂热，盲信

参考例句：

• Your fanaticism followed the girl is wrong. 你对那个女孩的狂热是错误的。
• All of Goebbels's speeches sounded the note of stereotyped fanaticism. 戈培尔的演讲，千篇一律，无非狂热二字。

9 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

11 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。