voa标准英语2008年-Rice Says Decision on Opening Mission in Iran t

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday the Bush administration supports the idea of opening a U.S. diplomatic "interests section" in Iran. But she says the press of other matters delayed action on the issue, and that the decision will now be left to the incoming Barack Obama administration. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

There have been news reports for several months that the Bush administration was considering opening a diplomatic mission in Iran, and Rice confirmed at her news conference Wednesday that President Bush made a decision in principle to do so some time ago.
　

President George W. Bush walks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, center, and National Security Advisor1 Stephen Hadley, left, as they leave the White House, 21 Nov 2008

But the Secretary of State says the Russia-Georgia crisis in August and other issues intervened to delay implementation². She says that now with only two months left in the Bush administration the matter will be left to President-elect Obama.

Despite the lack of U.S. Iranian diplomatic relations, Tehran has operated an interests section in Washington for several years, technically³ part of the embassy of Pakistan.

U.S. officials have said Iran would not have a strong case to oppose the setting up of a similar U.S. mission in Tehran, which would issue visas for Iranians traveling to the United States and conduct people-to-people outreach programs.

Rice told reporters President Bush decided⁴ to support an interests section in the context of a firm U.S. policy confronting Iranian nuclear ambitions, aggressive actions in the Middle East and political repression⁵ at home. But she said the necessary contacts with Iran on the issue never began because of the press of other business.

"Frankly⁶, at the point at which we most likely would have done it, we were right in the middle of the Georgia-Russia conflict, and then a number of other international events I think just made it difficult to do," Rice said."And so I think that within the context of a firm policy toward Iran, something that reaches out to the Iranian people is very important, and you rightly say that eyes on the ground is also very valuable. But it is awfully⁷ important that it be understood that the constituency here is not the Iranian regime, but the Iranian people."

Rice said the State Department has done internal work on how a Tehran interests section would function but said that "at this late moment" it is better that the decision to proceed be left to the next administration.

The United States and Iran have not had diplomatic relations since after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Iranian student activists⁸ took over the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held many staff officials hostage for more than a year.

Diplomats⁹ of the two countries have interacted at multi-lateral meetings in recent years, including a Geneva meeting in July when Under-Secretary of State William Burns was part of a big-power meeting with Iran's nuclear negotiator.

1 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

2 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

3 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

6 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。

7 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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》