VOA标准英语10月-US, India Sign Civilian Nuclear Accord

The United States and India Friday signed an accord allowing U.S. firms to sell nuclear fuel and technology to India, reversing a three-decade ban on such trade. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee signed the accord in Washington. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　

Indian FM Mukherjee (left) signs nuclear accord with Secretary Rice, 10 Oct 2008

Rice had hoped to sign the agreement on a visit to New Delhi a week ago, just after the accord was approved by the U.S. Congress.

But bureaucratic¹ snags prevented a signing at that time, and Foreign Minister Mukherjee flew to Washington Friday to formally conclude an agreement both sides call historic.

Three years in the making, the agreement will give India access to U.S. nuclear fuel, reactors² and technology, overturning a ban on such trade imposed after India's first nuclear test in 1974.

The agreement was controversial in both capitals with U.S. critics saying it weakens U.S. non-proliferation policy.

Indian opponents - who nearly brought down Prime Minister Monmohan Singh's government earlier this year - say it could limit the country's nuclear weapons program.

But at the signing ceremony, Secretary Rice said the accord puts an end to decades of distrust between the two countries and opens the door to vastly expanded cooperation far beyond the nuclear field. "India and the United States can do all of this and more together. There is so much that our two great nations will achieve in this century, and with conclusion of this civil nuclear agreement, our partnership³ will be limited only by our will and our imagination. India and the United States have taken on an extremely difficult challenge. We've met it, we've succeeded together," she said.

Foreign Minister Mukherjee for his part said India looks forward to working with U.S. companies eager to enter India's potential multi-billion dollar nuclear market. He said expanded civil nuclear power is central to the country's hopes for enviromentally safe economic growth.

"Nuclear power will directly boost industrial growth, rural development, and help us respond in every vital sector⁴ in our economy. It will also enable India to respond with our global partners to the challenges of climate and global warming, by strengthening her economic growth and sustainable development," he said.

President Bush earlier this week signed into law enabling legislation for the nuclear deal approved by the U.S. Congress.

It clears the way for U.S. nuclear assistance in exchange for India's agreement to open civilian⁵, but not military, nuclear facilities to international inspection⁶.

Casting the accord as a major foreign policy achievement, Bush administration officials say the partial opening of Indian nuclear facilities to outside scrutiny⁷ is a significant advance.

Opponents in U.S. arms control groups say rewarding India, which has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, is a poor example at a time when the world community is trying to get Iran and North Korea to curb⁸ their nuclear programs.

1 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

2 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 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。

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

7 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

8 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。