2007年VOA标准英语-UN Vows Support for US Probe of North Korea Aid

By Peter Heinlein
United Nations
12 June 2007

The United Nations is cooperating with a U.S. probe into charges that North Korea's government misspent millions of dollars in aid money intended for its impoverished¹ people. But as VOA's correspondent Peter Heinlein reports, U.N. aid officials are disputing some of the U.S. figures.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (file photo)

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday said he is committed to investigating U.S. allegations that North Korea misused² U.N. development aid money. He said he is directing the head of the U.N. budget committee, known as the ACABQ, to look into the charges.

"I am concerned of course about news reports, and new allegations, about North Korean activities about misusing³ UNDP funds," said Ban Ki-moon. "I am going to write a letter to the Chairman of the ACABQ [Advisory Committee on Administrative⁴ and Budgetary Questions], asking him to consider to continue this investigation⁵, including the possibility of sending auditors⁶ to North Korea."

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad met with U.N. Development Program chief Kemal Dervis last week to lay out the case against North Korea.

The Washington Post newspaper reported that the allegations included evidence that authorities in Pyongyang diverted as much as $3 million in aid money to help finance the purchase of property in France, Britain and Canada. The Post cited a confidential⁷ State Department account of witness reports and business records charging that millions more went to a North Korean institution linked to a bank alleged⁸ to have handled arms deals.

Ambassador Khalilzad told reporters Monday that Dervis pledged to investigate the charges immediately.

"There were some allegations that were brought to our attention with regard to North Korea and UNDP programs there, and what we did was to go and see the head of the UNDP, Mr. Dervis, and his reaction was exactly the right one," he said. "It was concern, and he said 'we will immediately investigate.'"

UNDP spokesman David Morrison Monday confirmed that the development agency is cooperating with U.S. authorities in the probe. But he told reporters the information available to UNDP does not support allegations that funds were misused.

"Based upon UNDP's own records, the new allegations don't seem to add up," he said.

Morrison says UNDP disagrees with U.S. estimates that the agency transferred $7 million to North Korea between 2001 and 2005. He says the figure was only a few hundred thousand dollars.

He says U.S. officials have not given the development agency any evidence to back up their figures.

"We know exactly what our own financial systems say," said Morrison. "We put all of that information on the table. Allegations are continuing. They're clearly based on something. We've not seen any documents. We have responded to U.S. mission that we'd like to see documents that are available."

Morrison said further meetings between U.S. and UNDP officials are tentatively scheduled for later this week.

1 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 misusing   

v.使用…不当( misuse的现在分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• This means we must stop misusing them. 也就是说，我们已必须停止滥用抗菌素不可了。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 预防生物武器
• Misusing organic fertilizer may cause a decrease in the soil's quality. 滥用有机肥料可能会导致土地的土质下降。 来自互联网

4 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 auditors   

n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生

参考例句：

• The company has been in litigation with its previous auditors for a full year. 那家公司与前任审计员已打了整整一年的官司。
• a meeting to discuss the annual accounts and the auditors' report thereon 讨论年度报表及其审计报告的会议

7 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

8 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为