2006年VOA标准英语-White House Says It Will Not Reach Out to Raul
时间：2019-01-31 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（八月）
By Paula Wolfson
White House
01 August 2006
White House reaction to the news of Fidel Castro's illness has been cautious and restrained. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports, officials say there will be no change in policy now that his brother Raul, Cuba's defense 1 minister, holds power, at least temporarily.
--------
Raul Castro attends a rally in Havana, Cuba in this Jan. 24, 2000 file photo
White House Spokesman Tony Snow says President Bush has long hoped that one day Cuba will be free and democratic. But he says that will not happen with Raul Castro in charge.
"Raul Castro's attempt to impose himself on the Cuban people is much the same as what his brother did, so no, there are no plans to reach out," he said.
During a session with reporters, Snow downplayed prospects 2 for any change in relations between Washington and Havana. He said Fidel Castro is a dictator who is now temporarily handing power to his brother, the nation's prison keeper.
Snow refused to speculate on the health of the ailing 3 Cuban leader, who has long been a major political irritant to the United States. But he did say there is no reason to believe he is dead.
"We don't know what the condition Fidel Castro is," he said. "We don't know the facts of this because Cuba is a closed society."
The situation in Cuba dominated a White House briefing Tuesday, with questions posed about everything from Mr. Castro's medical condition, to the likelihood that the shift in power might prompt many would-be refugees to try to flee the country.
Snow stressed he would not engage in speculation 4 in certain areas.
"What is going on is that a lot of people are asking questions about the death of a person who is not dead," he said. "And so I am just not going to get there yet."
Hugo Chavez, July 19, 2006
One such question dealt with the status of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. Snow was asked if he will now become President Bush's chief nemesis 5 in the region.
"The president is worried about people in the neighborhood who seek to destabilize neighbors using economic or other means," he said. "It is one of the reasons why the policy of this government has always been to push for free trade and to get along well with neighbors. I will leave it at that."
On Monday, before Fidel Castro's illness was announced, President Bush was interviewed by a Spanish-language radio station in heavily Cuban-American Miami. The president talked at some length about Cuba's future, saying his administration has a plan in place to help the Cuban people when the Castro era ends.
- 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。
- There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
- They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
- They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
- She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。
- 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。