VOA标准英语2010年-Southern African Leaders Discuss Madag

Southern African leaders have rejected plans by the leader of Madagascar to unilaterally organize national elections in March. And the leaders examined the situation in Zimbabwe at a summit Thursday evening in Maputo.

The leaders expressed concern over Madagascar in a statement issued following a special summit in Maputo of the security organ of the Southern African Development Community.

The statement said SADC "rejects any attempt to use democratic means, institutions and processes to," in its words, "legitimize governments that come to power through unconstitutional means."

It referred to the transfer of power last March in Madagascar that SADC has labeled a coup² d'etat.

Current leader Andry Rajoelina took power, backed by the military, after then-President Marc Ravalomana was forced to resign and leave the country.

SADC has been mediating³ negotiations⁴ between the two leaders and two former Malagasy presidents, Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy, which had led to a power sharing agreement in August.

But Rajoelina last month rejected the accord and appointed a retired⁵ military officer to organize elections in March.

The SADC leaders are to report to the African Union summit next month in Ethiopia.

The southern African leaders also urged the parties to the unity¹ government in Zimbabwe to fully⁶ implement⁷ a power-sharing agreement signed more than one year ago.

The accord brought President Robert Mugabe and his former rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, into a government that is to organize national elections by next year.

But the accord has been hindered by disputes over Mr. Mugabe's appointment of allies as attorney-general and central bank governor.

SADC's mediator⁸ on Zimbabwe, South African President Jacob Zuma, suggested on South African national radio that lesser⁹ issues be put on hold so that the process can move forward.

"We could have the issues that probably are very difficult to agree [upon] but still say if we cannot [agree] can we park them and proceed? Are they so fundamental that we cannot move without [them]?" he asked.

Other disputes center on the appointment of provincial¹⁰ governors, international sanctions against senior leaders of Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and ZANU-PF objections to international radio broadcasts to Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwean leaders are due to resume negotiations on the outstanding issues next week. Popular consultations¹¹ on a new constitution leading to the elections are also to begin.

1 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。

2 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

3 mediating   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的现在分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• So many factors are mediating. 如此众多的因素在起作用。
• The contrast in mediating noted in the sitting room. 客厅中注重了调和中的对比。

4 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。

5 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

8 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。

9 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

10 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

11 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》