VOA标准英语2013--Afghan Security Tops Agenda for Karzai Washington Talks

 

Afghan Security Tops Agenda for Karzai Washington Talks

President Karzai met with U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Leon Panetta last month before these Washington talks, which are expected to include the breadth of U.S-Afghan relations beyond next year's exit of most of the remaining 60,000 U.S. troops there.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, "I think we expect the full range of issues to come up, the issues of security, issues of political transition - as you know, there are elections scheduled in 2014 in Afghanistan - U.S. ongoing² economic support, our Silk-Road strategy, our regional-integration strategy. So there is a lot to talk about when President Karzai comes, and we are all looking forward to having him in the U.S."

Taliban fighters continue to undermine security for the Karzai government and they still control large parts of the country, especially along the border with Pakistan.

Cato Institute analyst³ Malou Innocent says U.S. President Barack Obama's second term is a chance to change the U.S. approach to Afghanistan. "Begin working with the Taliban to sort of incorporate them within the government, accepting the realities on the ground and understanding that the Taliban with their local lay of the land, their understanding of the human terrain⁴, their cross-border sanctuaries⁵ that they have in Pakistan, understanding and coming to reconcile our interests and our limited ability to change that situation," she said.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are cooperating on the release of some Taliban prisoners as part of an effort to win over more moderate elements in the group.

Afghan government spokesman Aimal Faizi said, "We hope the release of these Taliban prisoners will help the peace process in Afghanistan and encourage other Taliban to negotiate with the Afghan government."

State Department spokeswoman Nuland says it is a good start. "This needs to be done in a manner that encourages the best possible path forward, a renunciation of violence, acceptance of the Afghan constitution, et cetera. But we are very supportive of dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan that can support reconciliation⁶," she said.

Middle East Institute Professor Marvin Weinbaum says there is a greater push for that reconciliation, after more than a decade of combat. "It would be nice to have a political outcome here because that would give us a better sense that when we left in 2014 things would not come apart," he said.

The Obama administration says it will maintain an "enduring security presence" in Afghanistan beyond 2014, including training and support for counter-terrorism. 

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 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。

4 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

5 sanctuaries   

n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所

参考例句：

• The designation of special marine reserves and marine sanctuaries shall be subject to the State Council for approval. 海洋特别保护区、海上自然保护区的确定，须经国务院批准。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After 1965 he acquiesced when they established sanctuaries on that soil. 1965年以后，他默认了他们在那块土地上建立庇护所。 来自辞典例句

6 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。