2006年VOA标准英语-Rice Backs EU Nuclear Talks With Iran

By David Gollust
Washington
27 September 2006

Condoleezza Rice

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she supports European Union chief diplomat¹ Javier Solana in his nuclear talks with Iran, though asserting that the process is not open-ended. Solana met Wednesday in Berlin with Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in talks due to continue Thursday. European diplomats² have framed the Solana-Larijani dialogue as a final opportunity for Iran to return to negotiations³ over its nuclear program and stave off sanctions.

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Secretary Rice is making clear U.S. support for the initiative, while signaling also that the Bush administration's patience with the negotiating process has limits.

Rice told reporters at the start of a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis that she had talked to Solana earlier in the day before his talks with Larijani.

With cameras snapping at the photo opportunity, Rice said she wished Solana well but also suggested the nuclear talks with Iran are at a decision point and cannot go on very much longer: "Obviously if we can come out of this with an Iranian decision to suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities completely and verifiably, then we would be on a course of negotiations and that's the course that we would all like to pursue. But of course the logic⁴ of Resolution 1696 is that the Security Council has also set up a route, a pathway toward action under Article 41, Chapter Seven (of the U.N. Charter)," she said.

The resolution cited by Rice, approved in late July, gave Iran until August 31st to suspend uranium enrichment and return to negotiations over its nuclear program or face U.N. sanctions.

Rice and her counterparts from the other permanent U.N. Security Council member countries agreed in New York last week to push back the effective deadline until the first week in October to give the negotiating process more time.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has continued to insist that Tehran will not give up what he says is its right to enrich uranium. But a senior U.S. official told reporters here the Iranian leadership is not monolithic⁵ and that Larijani appeared to be sincere in the talks with Solana.

Earlier, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said there could be an opening for a positive answer from the Iranians if they are given, in his words "a little time and space."

Iran has been offered incentives⁶ by the major powers to halt uranium enrichment and other sensitive nuclear activities believed weapons-related, and return to negotiations.

U.S. officials envisage⁷ increasingly severe sanctions against Tehran beginning with curbs⁸ on technology imports, if it continues to defy the U.N. resolution.

However, some Security Council members, notably⁹ Russia and China, have resisted an early move to sanctions.

Wednesday's Solana-Larijani meeting lasted five hours and was described by an E.U. spokeswoman as very intense. They are to continue the discussion in the German capital Thursday morning.

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 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

5 monolithic   

adj.似独块巨石的；整体的

参考例句：

• Don't think this gang is monolithic.不要以为这帮人是铁板一块。
• Mathematics is not a single monolithic structure of absolute truth.数学并不是绝对真理的单一整体结构。

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 envisage   

v.想象，设想，展望，正视

参考例句：

• Nobody can envisage the consequences of total nuclear war.没有人能够想像全面核战争的后果。
• When do you envisage being able to pay me back?你看你什么时候能还我钱？

8 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句

9 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。