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VOA标准英语10月-Sudan's Energy Minister Reportedly Cancels Key Ke

时间：2008-11-12 06:00:49

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Sudan's energy minister has reportedly canceled a visit to Kenya next week to conclude an oil deal reached between the two countries in August. The report of the cancellation1 has yet to be confirmed by officials in Khartoum and Nairobi, but it has deepened speculation2 by analysts3 that relations between Khartoum and Nairobi have become fragile since Somali pirates last month hijacked4 a ship carrying a controversial shipment of arms. From Nairobi, VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu has details.

Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper says sources inside the Khartoum government confirmed that Sudan's Energy Minister Zubain Mohamed Salih, has canceled the trip to Kenya because of the on-going controversy5 over the destination of the arms shipment aboard the hijacked Ukrainian freighter MV Faina.

The energy minister was expected to conclude a deal to begin exporting 500-million barrels of crude oil every month to Kenya. The deal would allow Kenya to purchase crude from Sudan at a lower price than its current sources in the Middle East and help ease soaring fuel costs.

VOA has been unable to determine whether Mr. Salih's trip has been canceled or postponed6 for other reasons. But the latest news follows reports that Sudan's foreign ministry7 in Khartoum questioned envoys8 from Kenya and Ethiopia earlier this week about the shipment of arms to southern Sudan.
　
In this photo provided by the US Navy, pirates leave the Ukrainian merchant vessel9 MV Faina for Somalia's shore, while under observation by a US Navy ship, 08 Oct 2008

Pirates in Somalia seized the Ukrainian ship in late September, as it sailed toward the Kenyan port of Mombasa carrying a cargo10 of 33 Russian-built tanks and other heavy weapons.

The Kenyan government has repeatedly said the shipment belongs to its military. But questions about the cargo's final destination grew after U.S. officials and a maritime11 official in Mombasa suggested that the shipment was headed for South Sudan. South Sudanese officials have denied knowing anything about it.

Last Saturday, an Ethiopian plane carrying light arms arrived in South Sudan's capital Juba. Officials in Juba and in Addis Ababa have both said the arms, which have been identified as AK-47 rifles, were samples brought in to be exhibited at a trade fair.

Khartoum and former rebels in the south signed a peace deal in 2005 to end their two-decade civil war and are now partners in a fragile unity12 government. The peace agreement requires the two sides to consult each other about military purchases.

But western arms analysts say that rule is widely ignored. They note that in recent years, Khartoum and South Sudan have spent large chunks13 of their yearly budgets on military purchases.

A referendum to determine whether the South will secede14 from the North is scheduled to be held in 2011. But with the vast majority of Sudan's oil wealth located in southern fields, there has been growing fear that Khartoum will not allow South Sudan to become independent without a fight.

A Sudan observer for the International Crisis Group, Fouad Hikmat, says what has surprised Khartoum is not allegations that South Sudan is secretly purchasing weapons, but that Kenya and Ethiopia - two members of the regional grouping known as IGAD which helped sponsor the 2005 peace talks - may be taking sides against Khartoum.

"This is very, very serious because instability in Sudan can have very serious ramifications15 on the whole region, even more than the conflict in Somalia. Sudan is very central, so it is extremely important that regional countries' approach to this very, very critical period in Sudan be very sensitive," said Hikmat.

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor16 in The Hague has asked the court for an arrest warrant for Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide and war crimes committed during a separate five year-old war in the western Darfur region of Sudan.

The Sudanese leader, who denies the charges, has vowed17 to resist any attempts to try him in an international court.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 cancellation BxNzQO     
n.删除，取消
参考例句：
  • Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
  • Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。
2 speculation 9vGwe     
n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机
参考例句：
  • Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
  • There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。
3 analysts 167ff30c5034ca70abe2d60a6e760448     
分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
  • I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。
4 hijacked 54f3e68c506e45e75f9a155a27738c2f     
劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图）
参考例句：
  • The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
  • The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。
5 controversy 6Z9y0     
n.争论，辩论，争吵
参考例句：
  • That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
  • We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。
6 postponed 9dc016075e0da542aaa70e9f01bf4ab1     
vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）
参考例句：
  • The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
  • The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。
7 ministry kD5x2     
n.(政府的)部；牧师
参考例句：
  • They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
  • We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。
8 envoys fe850873669d975a9344f0cba10070d2     
使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份
参考例句：
  • the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
  • Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。
9 vessel 4L1zi     
n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管
参考例句：
  • The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
  • You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。
10 cargo 6TcyG     
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物
参考例句：
  • The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
  • A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。
11 maritime 62yyA     
adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的
参考例句：
  • Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
  • The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。
12 unity 4kQwT     
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。
13 chunks a0e6aa3f5109dc15b489f628b2f01028     
厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分
参考例句：
  • a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
  • Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？
14 secede iEwyt     
v.退出，脱离
参考例句：
  • They plotted to make the whole Mississippi Valley secede from the United States.他们阴谋策划使整个密西西比流域脱离美国。
  • We won't allow Tibet to secede from China and become an independent nation.我们决不允许西藏脱离中国独立。
15 ramifications 45f4d7d5a0d59c5d453474d22bf296ae     
n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
  • What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 prosecutor 6RXx1     
n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人
参考例句：
  • The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
  • The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。
17 vowed 6996270667378281d2f9ee561353c089     
起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
  • I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

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