(单词翻译:单击)
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Secretary Clinton and I just concluded a meeting that focused on the ongoing(不间断的,进行的) situation in Libya. Over the last few days, my national security team has been working around the clock to monitor the situation there and to coordinate1 with our international partners about a way forward.
First, we are doing everything we can to protect American citizens. That is my highest priority. In Libya, we've urged our people to leave the country and the State Department is assisting those in need of support. Meanwhile, I think all Americans should give thanks to the heroic work that's being done by our foreign service officers and the men and women serving in our embassies and consulates(领事馆) around the world. They represent the very best of our country and its values.
Now, throughout this period of unrest and upheaval(剧变,隆起) across the region the United States has maintained a set of core principles which guide our approach. These principles apply to the situation in Libya. As I said last week, we strongly condemn2 the use of violence in Libya.
The American people extend our deepest condolences(慰问,哀悼) to the families and loved ones of all who’ve been killed and injured. The suffering and bloodshed is outrageous3 and it is unacceptable. So are threats and orders to shoot peaceful protesters and further punish the people of Libya. These actions violate international norms and every standard of common decency4. This violence must stop.
The United States also strongly supports the universal rights of the Libyan people. That includes the rights of peaceful assembly, free speech, and the ability of the Libyan people to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. They are not negotiable. They must be respected in every country. And they cannot be denied through violence or suppression.
In a volatile5 situation like this one, it is imperative(必要的,命令的) that the nations and peoples of the world speak with one voice, and that has been our focus. Yesterday a unanimous(意见一致的) U.N. Security Council sent a clear message that it condemns6 the violence in Libya, supports accountability for the perpetrators(犯罪者,作恶者) , and stands with the Libyan people.
This same message, by the way, has been delivered by the European Union, the Arab League, the African Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and many individual nations. North and south, east and west, voices are being raised together to oppose suppression and support the rights of the Libyan people.
I’ve also asked my administration to prepare the full range of options that we have to respond to this crisis. This includes those actions we may take and those we will coordinate with our allies and partners, or those that we’ll carry out through multilateral(多边的,多国的) institutions.
Like all governments, the Libyan government has a responsibility to refrain(避免,节制) from violence, to allow humanitarian7 assistance to reach those in need, and to respect the rights of its people. It must be held accountable for its failure to meet those responsibilities, and face the cost of continued violations8 of human rights.
This is not simply a concern of the United States. The entire world is watching, and we will coordinate our assistance and accountability measures with the international community. To that end, Secretary Clinton and I have asked Bill Burns, our Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, to make several stops in Europe and the region to intensify9 our consultations10(磋商,咨询) with allies and partners about the situation in Libya.
I’ve also asked Secretary Clinton to travel to Geneva on Monday, where a number of foreign ministers will convene(召集,集合) for a session of the Human Rights Council. There she’ll hold consultations with her counterparts on events throughout the region and continue to ensure that we join with the international community to speak with one voice to the government and the people of Libya.
And even as we are focused on the urgent situation in Libya, let me just say that our efforts continue to address the events taking place elsewhere, including how the international community can most effectively support the peaceful transition(过渡,转变) to democracy in both Tunisia and in Egypt.
So let me be clear. The change that is taking place across the region is being driven by the people of the region. This change doesn’t represent the work of the United States or any foreign power. It represents the aspirations11 of people who are seeking a better life.
As one Libyan said, “We just want to be able to live like human beings.” We just want to be able to live like human beings. It is the most basic of aspirations that is driving this change. And throughout this time of transition, the United States will continue to stand up for freedom, stand up for justice, and stand up for the dignity of all people.
Thank you very much.
1 coordinate | |
adj.同等的,协调的;n.同等者;vt.协作,协调 | |
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2 condemn | |
vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑 | |
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3 outrageous | |
adj.无理的,令人不能容忍的 | |
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4 decency | |
n.体面,得体,合宜,正派,庄重 | |
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5 volatile | |
adj.反复无常的,挥发性的,稍纵即逝的,脾气火爆的;n.挥发性物质 | |
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6 condemns | |
v.(通常因道义上的原因而)谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 );宣判;宣布…不能使用;迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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7 humanitarian | |
n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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8 violations | |
违反( violation的名词复数 ); 冒犯; 违反(行为、事例); 强奸 | |
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9 intensify | |
vt.加强;变强;加剧 | |
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10 consultations | |
n.磋商(会议)( consultation的名词复数 );商讨会;协商会;查找 | |
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11 aspirations | |
强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 ); 志向; 发送气音; 发 h 音 | |
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