VOA标准英语2012--Would New Leader Change Egypt's Foreign Policy?

 

Would New Leader Change Egypt's Foreign Policy?

A possible win by the Muslim Brotherhood's Morsi has some wondering if Egypt could soon see a realignment of its foreign policy.

A spokesman for the Islamist candidate, Walid el Haddad, says a Morsi administration would strive to move beyond the U.S.-centered agenda of the past, but keep those decades-long ties strong.

"As we have a very good relation with America as one of the leaders of the world, so we have to have a good relation also with the Asian countries. We will have a good relation with African countries, as the European countries," he said.

The key, el Haddad says, is balance. Fifteen turbulent months after the old government fell, radical¹ change is something the Morsi campaign is trying to play down. Even on controversial issues such as Israel, the candidate vows² to keep the peace.

"We are respecting any treaties," he said. "This is one of our Islamic references: to respect any treaties. But also we are requesting the other side to respect [it]."

Morsi's opponent, Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister of the old government, also stresses staying the course in foreign relations. 

Political observers note that, throughout the campaign, no one called for the treaty to be broken, even those who verbally attacked Israel. 

"It can be done for domestic issues, for, you know, raising the popularity of a weak presidential candidate. But it is rhetoric³ that means nothing," said Said Sadek of the American University in Cairo.

Sadek says Egypt's need to keep friends was seen when Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador following a violent protest at its Cairo embassy.

"Immediately, what did they do? The Islamist-controlled parliament sent a big delegation⁴, [saying] 'please come back. We don't want trouble.' They actually, I believe them, they don’t want. Nobody wants any major trouble in foreign policy," he said.

Another factor at play is Egypt's influential⁵ military, which was dragged into three wars during the last century. Political analyst⁶ Hisham Kassem says, since then, it has pledged not to be the victim of political ambitions.

"So the war decision will remain theirs," said Kassem. "Add to that anything in foreign policy that will lead to war, which means basically Israel, the Nile basin and Iran. You cannot make foreign policy isolated⁷ from the military in the next coming 10 years on issues like that."

There is also what appears to be an overriding⁸ need for the candidate who wins to keep his eye on problems at home. 

"We have a lot of issues internally actually," said Morsi spokesman el Haddad. "We have the economic problem, the security disturbance⁹."

Morsi, he says, will focuss on domestic issues, first. Changing foreign policy, he adds, is just not a top priority. At least for now. 

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

3 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

8 overriding   

a.最主要的

参考例句：

• Development is of overriding importance. 发展是硬道理
• My overriding concern is to raise the standards of state education. 我最关心的是提高国民教育水平。

9 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。