2006年VOA标准英语-World Powers Present 'Far Reaching' Nuclea

By David Gollust
State Department
01 June 2006
 
Foreign ministers of major world powers meeting in Vienna have reached agreement on a package of incentives¹ for Iran to halt sensitive nuclear activities, or penalties if it refuses. The offer will now be formally conveyed to Iran.

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The agreement by the five permanent U.N. Security Council member countries and Germany came at the end of a day of talks in the Austrian capital and climaxed² weeks of sensitive negotiations³ on how to get Iran to cease nuclear activities U.S. and European officials believe are weapons-related.

The so-called "carrots and sticks" package would offer Iran a set of financial and technology incentives if it ended uranium enrichment and returned to nuclear negotiations with Britain, France and Germany.

If it refuses, there would be U.N. Security Council action against Iran and escalating⁴ sanctions.

From left: Condoleezza Rice, Margaret Beckett and  Javier Solana  
  
The agreement was announced by Britain's new foreign secretary, Margaret Beckett, with her counterparts from the United States, France, Germany, China and Russia standing⁵ alongside.

She did not provide the terms but said it was a far-reaching set of proposals that offers Iran a chance to have a negotiated settlement of the crisis over its nuclear program, based on cooperation:

"We are prepared to resume negotiations should Iran resume the suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities as required by the IAEA, and we would also suspend action in the Security Council," said Margaret Beckett. "We've also agreed that if Iran decides not to engage in negotiations, further steps would have to be taken in the Security Council. So there are two paths ahead. We urge Iran to take the positive path and to consider seriously our substantive⁶ proposals which would bring significant benefits to Iran."

The agreement came a day after the Bush administration, in a policy shift, said it was willing to take a direct part in the European-led talks on the Iranian nuclear program provided Tehran suspended uranium enrichment and related activity U.S. officials believe is weapons-related.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said his government welcomed dialogue but would not give up its rights - a reference to Tehran's insistence⁷ that it is entitled to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In comments at the end of a White House cabinet meeting Thursday, President Bush said it remains⁸ to be seen if Iran's seemingly-negative response to the proposal is its last word on the subject:

"My reaction is that the choice is theirs, and we'll see whether or not that is the firm position of their government," said President Bush. "And if that's what they decide to do, then the next step, of course, will be for our coalition⁹ partners to go to the United Nations Security Council. And the choice is up to the Iranians. And they've already said, by the way, that they're willing to suspend [enrichment]. And this gives them a second chance to make their words mean something."

Iran had agreed in talks with EU-3 in 2004 to halt uranium enrichment, but backed out of the deal and earlier this year began enriching uranium for what it insists is a peaceful civil nuclear program.

President Bush said he had spoken by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao, whose support was considered critical to the incentives and sanctions package finalized¹⁰ later in Vienna.

1 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

2 climaxed   

vt.& vi.达到顶点（climax的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The demonstration climaxed two weeks of strikes. 游行示威将持续了两周的罢工推向了高潮。 来自辞典例句
• His election to the presidency climaxed his political career. 他的当选为总统使他的政治生涯达到最高峰。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 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

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

7 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• 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。

10 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》