VOA标准英语2011-Clinton Wary of Hezbollah-Controlled Leba

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the emergence¹ of a Hezbollah-controlled Lebanese government would clearly have an impact on U.S.-Lebanese relations. She also said the United States believes Egypt is stable, despite Tunisia-style protests there.

Clinton says it is too early to judge the emerging government in Lebanon, but she is making clear U.S. apprehension² about the prospect³ of a Beirut government dominated by Hezbollah and subject to Iranian influence.

The Lebanon situation, and political unrest in North Africa that spread to Egypt this week, dominated a meeting between Clinton and Foreign Minister Trinidad Jiminez of Spain, which has close relations with North Africa and leads the U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, UNIFIL.

Clinton said she and her Spanish counterpart share deep concerns about the influence in Lebanon of outside forces, an apparent reference to Iran and Syria, which have backed Hezbollah.

She said while the process of government formation is just beginning, the prospect of a leading role for the Shiite militia⁴ and political movement is troubling.

"A Hezbollah-controlled government would clearly have an impact on our bilateral⁵ relationship with Lebanon," she said. "Our bottom lines remain as they always have been. First, we believe that justice must be pursued and impunity⁶ for murder ended. We believe in Lebanon's sovereignty and an end to outside interference. So as we see what this new government does, we will judge it accordingly."

Hezbollah has pushed for an end to support by the Lebanese government for the U.N.-backed tribunal on the 2005 assassination⁷ of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Lebanon's government crisis was spurred in part by secret indictments⁸ from the tribunal that are widely expected to implicate⁹ Hezbollah in the car-bomb killing¹⁰.

The United States lists Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and officials in Washington say its apparent rise to power will impact U.S. economic and military aid to Lebanon of nearly $250 million a year.

On the Egyptian political unrest, Clinton said the United States is monitoring the situation closely, but does not think the turmoil¹¹ affects the stability of the Cairo government, a key U.S. ally.

"We support the fundamental right of expression and assembly for all people," said the secretary of state. "And we urge that all parties exercise restraint and refrain from violence. But our assessment¹² is that the Egyptian government is stable and is looking for ways to respond to the legitimate¹³ needs and interests of the Egyptian people."

Clinton said she and Foreign Minister Jiminez discussed how the United States and European Union can help Tunisia in its transition from authoritarian¹⁴ rule to democracy.

She said while the country has a "long way to go," she is encouraged, after contacts with leaders of the interim government in Tunis, about their commitment to inclusive elections to be held as soon as practicable

1 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

2 apprehension   

n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑

参考例句：

• There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。
• She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

3 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

4 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

5 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。

6 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

7 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

8 indictments   

n.（制度、社会等的）衰败迹象( indictment的名词复数 )；刑事起诉书；公诉书；控告

参考例句：

• A New York jury brought criminal indictments against the founder of the organization. 纽约的一个陪审团对这个组织的创始人提起了多项刑事诉讼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These two indictments are self-evident and require no elaboration. 这两条意义自明，无须多说。 来自互联网

9 implicate   

vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌

参考例句：

• He didn't find anything in the notebooks to implicate Stu.他在笔记本中没发现任何涉及斯图的东西。
• I do not want to implicate you in my problem of the job.我工作上的问题不想把你也牵扯进来。

10 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

11 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

12 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

13 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

14 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。