2007年VOA标准英语-US Efforts to Isolate Iran Economically Gaining

By Mil Arcega
Washington, D.C.
27 March 2007
 
watch Arcega report

At least five states in the U.S. are following Missouri's lead with proposals to divest¹ public pension funds of shares in companies that do business with Iran.  On Capitol Hill, proposed amendments² to the Iran Sanctions Act could make it harder for foreign-owned companies to invest in countries that the U.S. State Department considers "sponsors of terror."  VOA's Mil Arcega reports.

 
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (20 Feb 2007)
Iran's defiance³ of international demands to suspend its uranium enrichment program is creating momentum⁴ in the United States for initiatives aimed at further isolating⁵ the oil-rich country.

At a recent Congressional hearing on foreign affairs, committee chairman Tom Lantos outlined new initiatives to limit U.S. investments in companies that do business with Iran.  "A variety of means will be used for this purpose from ‘name and shame’ for private funds to mandating⁶ divestment of public funds," he said.

Although U.S. companies are already restricted from trading or investing in Iran, Lantos' amendments to the Iran Sanctions Act would eliminate U.S. waivers given to foreign companies that pour money into Iran's energy sector⁷.

 
Tom Lantos 
"If Dutch Shell moves forward with its proposed $10 billion deal with Iran, it will be sanctioned,” said Lantos. “If Malaysia moves forward with a similar deal, it too will be sanctioned.  The same treatment will be accorded to China and India should they finalize⁸ deals with Iran."

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida says the aim is to undermine Iran's primary source of income.  "Iran's oil sector, which provides for about 85 percent of export revenues, is projected to shrink without huge injections of foreign investment, technology and expertise," the Republican congresswoman says.

"We call it, in my business, chicken soup diplomacy⁹.  It sounds good, it makes you feel better but doesn't really cure anything," says Bill Reinsch, the president of the National Foreign Trade Council.  He says although the proposals are well intentioned, mixing politics with business could lead to bigger problems. 

 
National Foreign Trade Council President Bill Reinsch
"If you're going to inject political criteria¹⁰ into the investment process, it's not very long before you're going to have people saying we should be divesting¹¹ from China, we should be divesting from Russia,” says Reinsch.  “Any country that has a problematic human rights record is going to be fair game for divestment.  Pretty soon there won't be any countries left to invest in.”

Reinsch adds that similar divestment proposals for so-called "terror-free public pension funds" from at least five states will also hurt retirees who can expect to see smaller returns on their investments.

A recent market report shows more than 400 publicly traded companies have financial dealings with countries on the State Department's terror list.  They include Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.

1 divest   

v.脱去，剥除

参考例句：

• I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。
• He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。

2 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

3 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句

6 mandating   

托管（mandate的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Current requirements mandating that committees keep minutes are too general. 目前对委员会要保持详细记录的指令性要求，还是太过一般化了。
• Mandating that workers who quit without permission forfeit a month's wages. 规定工人私自离岗将受到罚没一个月工资的处罚。

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

8 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

9 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

10 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

11 divesting   

v.剥夺( divest的现在分词 )；脱去（衣服）；2。从…取去…；1。（给某人）脱衣服

参考例句：

• Methods: The indication, methods and outcome of87 patients undergone laparoscopic ovarian cyst divesting surgery were analyzed. 方法对87例卵巢囊肿进行腹腔镜下剥出手术，严格把握操作要领。 来自互联网
• Conclusion The patients performed laparoscopic ovarian cyst divesting surgery had less complication and recovered soon. 结论腹腔镜下卵巢囊肿剥出术创伤小，术后恢复快并发症少，集诊断与治疗为一体，临床应用价值比较肯定。 来自互联网