VOA标准英语2012--Syria Conflict Stokes Calls for Global Arms Treaty
时间：2018-12-16 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2012年(六月)
Syria Conflict Stokes Calls for Global Arms Treaty
Last February in Homs, Syria, photojournalist Paul Conroy witnessed his colleague, Sunday Times writer Marie Colvin, killed in a rocket attack. Conroy has now joined activists 1 with the Control Arms Coalition 2 who are demanding a new treaty to control the global arms trade. He says he was shocked by the weaponry the Syrian army had at its disposal.
"They had a continual, unlimited 3 supply of weapons," Conroy noted 4. "So when we looked into it, I confronted the Russian representative who openly admitted, 'Yes, we're selling weapons to Syria.' I asked him would they stop and he said 'no.' There was literally 5 nothing anybody could do. They couldn't pick up a piece of paper and wave an international treaty at them. They just said if we don't sell them someone else will."
Conroy and other activists recently rented a tank to try to raise awareness 6 of the lack of an arms control treaty. Campaigners plan to take the tank on a tour of London, past embassies of countries which they say are major players in the global arms industry. That includes India where they handed in petitions to the embassy staff. The campaigners claim there are more export controls on food than there are on weapons. To hammer the point home, passers-by in London were given bananas.
There were similar stunts 7 in New York where the United Nations Diplomatic Conference begins on July 2. Suzanne Nossel is executive director of Amnesty International USA.
"This would be the first treaty that regulates a trade in arms that results in the deaths of 1500 people every day, half a million people every year in conflicts around the world," said Nossel.
Howard Wheeldon is director of policy at ADS Group, which represents the British defense 8 industry. He says Britain, the U.S. and other Western arms exporters have already agreed to stringent 9 controls.
"What we need is a treaty that encompasses 10 all the world, all countries, to ensure that no country will sell arms to another that really don't fit into the categories that we've laid down," said Wheeldon.
"Do I think it will succeed? Well I suspect probably not but we'll give it every effort."
Campaigners say the conflicts across the Arab world highlight the urgent need for controls on selling arms.
- His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
- Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
- Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。
- They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
- There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
- He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
- Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。
- There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
- Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。
- He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。
- The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- 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。
- Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
- Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。
- The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
- Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句