2006年VOA标准英语-US, South Korea Seek to Reconcile Response to N

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
07 July 2006

Talks between the United States and South Korea on North Korea's missile launches are complicated by sharply differing opinions in Washington and Seoul as to how to influence Pyongyang's behavior. The top U.S. diplomat¹ on the North Korean situation is in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials.

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Christopher Hill, center, is surrounded by reporters upon his arrival at Incheon Airport,  July 7, 2006   
  
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill comes to Seoul following a day of meetings with Chinese leaders in Beijing. Here, as there, the topic of discussion is North Korean weapons.

Hill, the senior U.S. envoy² to multinational³ talks, aimed at ending the North's nuclear weapons programs, says it is time for Pyongyang to end its refusal to return to the negotiations⁴. Before leaving Beijing Friday, he said the U.S. is ready to implement⁵ the agreement made in September, in which North Korea, or the DPRK, would give up its nuclear weapons in return for aid and security guarantees.

"The U.S. for our part, we made clear that we're prepared to sit down and implement all the elements of the September agreement. At the same time, we are also going to take measures to protect ourselves, and, I think, the DPRK needs to understand that that's simply a fact of life, and they had better get on with this process," said Hill.

Analysts⁶, however, say getting South Korea and the U.S. on the same page will not be easy, given their distinctly different dispositions⁷ toward North Korea.

Bush administration policy is close to that of Japan, in that it tries to influence Pyongyang through firmness. 

Roh Moo-hyun (file photo)   
  
South Korea has adhered for more than six years to its so-called "sunshine policy" of engagement and reconciliation⁸ with the North. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has stated his disapproval⁹ of sanctions or other measures intended to pressure North Korea.

But Seoul on Friday, in response to the missile tests, did reject a proposal for military talks with the North. And a South Korean official told local reporters that large amounts of food and fertilizer aid, which the North desperately¹⁰ needs, had been put on hold.

Hill has long said that, if Pyongyang hopes to receive continued aid to improve its shattered economy, it has to give way on its nuclear and missile programs.

"The North Koreans have really put themselves in a position where they have a choice between further isolation¹¹ and, frankly¹², further impoverishment¹³, and that's a very sad fact, because as they isolate¹⁴ themselves, they … drop out of the means by which to improve their economic situation," he said.

 
Christopher Hill, left, meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing in Beijing, July 7, 2006 
  
On one point, U.S. and South Korean officials have been in harmony: that North Korea should return immediately to the six-nation nuclear talks. However, South Korean officials have also indicated they support Pyongyang's long-standing request for one-on-one talks with Washington.

Washington has so far rejected that request, saying the six-party framework is the only appropriate forum¹⁵ for dialogue with North Korea.

1 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

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 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 dispositions   

安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质

参考例句：

• We got out some information about the enemy's dispositions from the captured enemy officer. 我们从捕获的敌军官那里问出一些有关敌军部署的情况。
• Elasticity, solubility, inflammability are paradigm cases of dispositions in natural objects. 伸缩性、可缩性、易燃性是天然物体倾向性的范例。

8 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

9 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

10 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

11 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

12 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

13 impoverishment   

n.贫穷，穷困；贫化

参考例句：

• Therefore, the spiritual impoverishment is a more fearful social phenomenon. 所以，精神贫困是一种比物质贫困更隐蔽更可怕的社会现象。 来自互联网
• Impoverishment is compounded by many elements, and can transmit to be a pernicious cycle. 贫困是由多种因素复合而成的，并且具有传递性，形成贫困的恶性循环。 来自互联网

14 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

15 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。