欧洲－欧盟要求伊朗不可再重新开始已暂停的核活动

EU Urges Iran Not to Resume Suspended Nuclear Activities

欧盟要求伊朗不可再重新开始已暂停的核活动

 

The European Union is urging Iran not to resume uranium processing, which western countries believe could help the Islamic Republic develop a nuclear bomb. The EU has told Iran that any such move could jeopardize¹ the outcome of talks aimed at resolving a dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

 

Iran says that it plans to immediately resume the conversion² of uranium ore, also known as yellowcake, into uranium hexafluoride gas at its nuclear facility in Isfahan. It also informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that it is removing IAEA seals at the plant so as to restart such activity.

 

The gas can later be fed into centrifuges and enriched to be used as fuel in nuclear plants or, if highly enriched, in nuclear weapons. But Iran says it will keep its freeze on enrichment.

 

Iranian Foreign Ministry³ Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a news briefing in Teheran that his government is resuming uranium processing because the EU failed to meet a deadline Sunday to present new proposals. But Mr. Asefi says Iran does not want to interrupt its negotiations⁴ with the EU.

 

Mr. Asefi (through interpretation): We shall restart some nuclear activity, but we are ready to continue discussing other issues with the Europeans.

 

The EU denies that it agreed to a Sunday deadline to produce new proposals, and says it will offer a package of economic incentives⁶ intended to persuade Iran to end its nuclear activities later this week. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer told reporters in Berlin that the EU, too, wants to continue negotiations.

 

Joschka Fischer (through interpretation): We want to keep talking, and we'll submit a proposal. I just hope Iran hasn't miscalculated.

 

France and Britain, which, along with Germany, are conducting the negotiations with Iran, also reacted negatively to Iran's decision to resume uranium conversion.

 

France said it is surprised and worried by Iran's move. Britain urged Iran not to take any unilateral steps that would contravene⁷ an agreement last November with the European Union, whereby Iran suspended its nuclear programs.

 

Iran maintains that, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it has a sovereign right to produce enriched uranium for peaceful purposes. But the United States says Iran's intention is to build nuclear weapons.

 

The Europeans are trying to work out a deal whereby Iran would permanently⁸ end enrichment activities in exchange for security assurances, economic cooperation and a guaranteed fuel supply.

 

But the Europeans have also warned Iran that they will ask the IAEA to refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions, if it resumes uranium enrichment.

 

注释：

resume [ri5zju:m] vt. 重新开始，恢复

uranium [juE5reiniEm] n. 铀

Islamic Republic 伊斯兰共和国

jeopardize [5dVepEdaiz] v. 危害，危及

outcome [5autkQm] n. 结果，成果

ore [C:(r)] n. 矿石

yellowcake [5jelEukeik] n.“黄饼”，核反应燃料重铀酸铵或重铀酸钠的俗称

uranium hexafluoride gas 六氟化铀气体

Isfahan [7isfE5hB:n] n. 伊斯法罕，伊朗城市

International Atomic Energy Agency 国际原子能机构

centrifuge [5sentrifju:dV] n. 离心分离机

Teheran [7tehE5rAn] n. 德黑兰，伊朗首都

incentive⁵ [in5sentiv] n. 动机

miscalculate [5mis5kAlkjuleit] vt. 判断错误，误算

negatively [5ne^Etivli] adv. 否定地

unilateral [ju:ni5lAtEr(E)l] adj. 单方面的

contravene [7kCntrE5vi:n] v. 违反

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 《不扩散核武器条约》

1 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。

2 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。

3 ministry   

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。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

5 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

6 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 contravene   

v.违反，违背，反驳，反对

参考例句：

• The moves contravene the peace plan agreed by both sides.这些举措违反了双方同意的和平方案。
• He said the article did not contravene the industry's code of conduct.他说这一条款并未违反行业的行为准则。

8 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。