2006年VOA标准英语-Iran Talks Tough Ahead of Developing Natio

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Bali
11 May 2006
 
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on a state visit to Indonesia, continued the tough rhetoric¹ about Israel and nuclear matters.  Speaking in Jakarta, he said it was every country's right to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.  Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister accused Western powers of trying to impose their will on other nations, as foreign ministers from eight predominately Muslim countries met on Indonesia's holiday island.

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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks at  press conference after meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono 
  

President Ahmadinejad continued his fiery² speeches in Jakarta Thursday telling a group of Muslim students Israel was a tyrannical regime "that will one day be destroyed."

But the Iranian head of state also said he was ready to negotiate with the United States and other Western powers over Iran's nuclear program if, as he put it, the United States "dropped its bad attitude."

Mr. Ahmadinejad's visit to Indonesia, a secular³ nation with the world's largest population of Muslims, takes place against a backdrop of deepening international tensions over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Iran says its nuclear program is aimed at generating electricity, but some Western nations believe it is being used to make nuclear weapons.

The United States failed this week to drum up enough support in the U.N. Security Council for economic sanctions against Iran unless it stopped its nuclear program.

But key Security Council members have agreed to meet in two weeks to draw up a package of incentives⁴ to induce Iran to stop its nuclear program or face possible sanctions if it does not.

At a meeting of foreign ministers from eight predominately Muslim nations in Indonesia's resort island of Bali ahead of their summit Saturday, the Iranian foreign minister urged members to unite against Western dominance.

The summit of the eight Muslim developing nations is aimed at increasing economic and political cooperation, but it is being overshadowed by Iran's deepening tensions with the West.

But Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda suggested Iran would not have an easy time controlling the D-8 conference.

"We suggested that Iran should consider and, in fact, [the] international community should consider the possibility of expanding the negotiation⁵ forum⁶ by involving the permanent members of the Security Council and also some other countries who are concerned with the development of this issue.  In particular, the possibility of the situation escalating⁷ into open conflict."

Hassan denied earlier reports Jakarta, which enjoys good relations with both Iran and the United States, would help mediate⁸ between Iran and the West.

"We didn't claim that we offer mediations on this nuclear issue, of course, on our part we suggested to Iran to maximize their efforts in order to solve the problems of the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomatic and peaceful negotiations," he added.

Mr. Ahmadinejad is expected to arrive in Bali Friday along with other leaders from the D-8 nations.

The summit is expected to come up with agreements on trade and customs, as well as a declaration by leaders on global issues.

The D-8 groups Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and Nigeria.

1 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

2 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

3 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

4 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

5 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

6 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

7 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

8 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。