VOA标准英语2009年-US, France, Britain Accuse Iran of Secret

By Paula Wolfson
Pittsburgh
25 September 2009

Wolfson TV Report
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy, flanked by President Barack Obama, and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, makes a statement on Iran's nuclear facility
The leaders of the United States, France and Britain say Iran must come clean about its nuclear program, or face consequences from the international community. They joined in a show of unity¹ following revelations Iran has been building a second uranium enrichment plant and has been hiding it for some time.

American, French and British intelligence agencies have been monitoring the site for years. U.S. President Barack Obama says it is clearly not for peaceful purposes. "Iran has a right to peaceful nuclear power that meets the energy needs of its people. But the size and configuration² of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful program," he said.

U.S. Officials say Iran disclosed the site on Monday to the UN atomic watchdog agency - the IAEA - when it discovered the secrecy³ had been breached⁴.

The IAEA has launched an investigation⁵. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Iran must comply. "Confronted with the serial⁶ deception⁷ of many years, the international community has no choice today but to draw a line in the sand," he said.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said time is running out for Tehran. "If by December, there is not an in-depth change by the Iranian leaders, sanctions will have to be taken," he said.

The three spoke⁸ just moments before the Group of Twenty Economic Summit convened⁹ Friday in Pittsburgh. The Iranian crisis overshadowed this gathering¹⁰ of leading and emerging economies, much as it did deliberations earlier this week at the United Nations.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev learned of the intelligence findings during a private meeting with President Obama on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Both Russia and China have backed the call for an investigation into the uranium enrichment facility. But from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the only response has been a denial of any wrongdoing.

At a news conference in New York, he said Tehran followed rules set down in the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). "We are operating within the NPT framework and within the framework of the IAEA and that is how we will advance our operations," he said.

The United States and the other world powers actively¹¹ trying to resolve the Iranian nuclear dispute are scheduled to meet with Tehran's envoys¹² next week in Geneva.

At a press conference closing the G-20 summit, President Obama said Tehran will find the world is united like never before. "What has changed is that the international community, I think, has spoken. It is up to Iran to respond," he said.

The president said he would not speculate on the course of action he might take if diplomacy¹³ fails. He said he wants to give the October first talks a chance to succeed.

1 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

2 configuration   

n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置

参考例句：

• Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。
• Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

3 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

4 breached   

攻破( breach的现在分词 )； 破坏，违反

参考例句：

• These commitments have already been breached. 这些承诺已遭背弃。
• Our tanks have breached the enemy defences. 我方坦克车突破了敌人的防线。

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 serial   

n.连本影片，连本电视节目；adj.连续的

参考例句：

• A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚电视开播一部新的电视连续剧。
• Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment?你能解释我们实验屡屡失败的原因吗？

7 deception   

n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计

参考例句：

• He admitted conspiring to obtain property by deception.他承认曾与人合谋骗取财产。
• He was jailed for two years for fraud and deception.他因为诈骗和欺诈入狱服刑两年。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

10 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

11 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

12 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。

13 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。