2007年VOA标准英语-US Envoy: 'One or Two Issues' to be Resolved fo

By Kurt Achin
Beijing
09 February 2007

The chief U.S envoy¹ to six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons capabilities² says negotiators are close to a deal. He says several small issues must be resolved before North Korea can begin the process of dismantling³ its nuclear programs. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Beijing.

 
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, center, speaks to reporters after his meeting with chief North Korean negotiator Kim Kye Kwan, 9 Feb 2007
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said Friday, negotiators are just a few sticking points away from agreeing on a set of first steps toward eliminating North Korea's nuclear weapons.

"One or two issues, really... not broad issues, and frankly⁴, not fundamental issues... It's hard to think that these issues would hold it up. It's hard to think that they would be dealbreakers, but we have to see," he said.

Hill is the chief U.S. delegate to six-nation talks here in Beijing aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities. China, South Korea, Japan and Russia are the other parties to the talks, first held more than three years ago, aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons in exchange for economic aid and diplomatic benefits.

 
Kim Kye Gwan (file photo)
Hill met one-on-one with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Kye Kwan, for a two-hour luncheon⁵ to discuss a draft agreement put forward by the Chinese hosts.

Although delegates from the six nations will not reveal the specific contents of the draft, Hill says it involves actions to be taken within weeks to begin implementing⁶ a September 2005 promise North Korea made to begin dismantling its nuclear programs.

North Korea boycotted⁷ talks aimed at implementing that pledge for more than a year after the United States imposed sanctions Washington says were intended to protect U.S. financial interests from North Korean money laundering⁸ and counterfeiting⁹. North Korea returned to the six-party table in December, only after conducting its first nuclear weapons test, and only on the premise¹⁰ the financial issue be "discussed and resolved" at the negotiations¹¹.

Hill suggested Friday that separate talks between U.S. Treasury¹² officials and North Korean envoys¹³ have provided the North with reassurance¹⁴ that the financial issue can be resolved.

"We have an approach for how to deal with that... let me just say, I don't think that's what's holding us up," he said.

Experts have widely predicted the United States will at least partially¹⁵ lift the financial sanctions, in exchange for concrete steps toward halting or dismantling nuclear materials production by North Korea.

Hill says North Korea, known officially as the DPRK, appears to have given its delegates more latitude¹⁶ to negotiate at this session than at the last one in December. He says Pyongyang may be coming to a conclusion internally that having nuclear weapons is not in its interest after all.

"These weapons have done more to isolate¹⁷, and endanger, and impoverish¹⁸ the DPRK than they will ever do to protect the DPRK. And, I think, there are a lot of people there who understand that," he said.

More six-party meetings are scheduled through the weekend. Delegates say, if the talks proceed smoothly¹⁹, this session may conclude by early next week.

1 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。

2 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

3 dismantling   

（枪支）分解

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。
• The dismantling of a nuclear reprocessing plant caused a leak of radioactivity yesterday. 昨天拆除核后处理工厂引起了放射物泄漏。

4 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。

5 luncheon   

n.午宴，午餐，便宴

参考例句：

• We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
• I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

6 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

7 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

8 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 counterfeiting   

n.伪造v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was sent to prison for counterfeiting five-dollar bills. 他因伪造5美元的钞票被捕入狱。 来自辞典例句
• National bureau released securities, certificates with security anti-counterfeiting paper technical standards. 国家质量技术监督局发布了证券、证件用安全性防伪纸张技术标准。 来自互联网

10 premise   

n.前提；v.提论，预述

参考例句：

• Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

11 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。

12 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

13 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

14 reassurance   

n.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
• Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。

15 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

16 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

17 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。

18 impoverish   

vt.使穷困，使贫困

参考例句：

• We need to reduce the burden of taxes that impoverish the economy.我们需要减轻导致经济困顿的税收负荷。
• America still has enough credibility to a more profitable path that would impoverish its creditors slowly.美国尚有足够的信用来让其得以选择一条更加有利可图的路径使它的债权人们渐渐贫困枯竭。

19 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。