VOA标准英语2013--International Community Wants 'Concrete Action' from Iran at Nuclear Talks

 

International Community Wants 'Concrete Action' from Iran at Nuclear Talks

U.S. officials say Iran's installation of more advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuges before these talks is yet another "provocative¹ step."

But State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says Tehran can still take the "diplomatic path" at talks in Kazakhstan.

"The question is whether the Iranian delegation² will come to Almaty really ready to roll up their sleeves and help the international community be reassured³ with regard to their nuclear program," Nuland said.

Iran says it is entitled to a peaceful civilian⁴ nuclear program. But the international community says Tehran has not done enough to prove that it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Members of the so-called P5+1 - France, Germany, Britain, China, Russia, and the United States - are working to expand international pressure on Iran to comply with U.N. nuclear inspections⁵. French President Francois Holland in New Delhi:

"India's influence is very important here," noted⁶ Hollande, "because it can help to convince the leaders of Iran to enter a serious negotiation⁷, and to bring Iran to respect the international agreements of non-nuclear proliferation."

Johns Hopkins University Professor Ruth Wedgwood questions the effectiveness of U.N. sanctions, even though they have cut the value of Iran's currency and its oil exports. 

"But the other lesson of sanctions is: the army eats first," Wedgwood said. "The nuclear program eats first. Countries will give up issues they are not particularly serious about, but they will not give up their core ambitions."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the international community must convince Iran that its actions are meant to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, not to bring down the government.

"Iran must know that the overall game plan, if you wish, must see what is in for them in this process. Otherwise, we have to convince Iran that it is not about the regime change," Lavrov said.

Making progress with Iran is especially important following North Korea's nuclear tests. 

"They are linked, you connect the dots," said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. "It is important for the world to have credibility in respect to our nonproliferation efforts, and just as it is impermissible for North Korea to pursue this kind of reckless effort, so we have said it is impermissible with respect to Iran."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the failure to stop North Korea shows sanctions will not stop Iran.

"Have sanctions, tough sanctions stopped North Korea? No. And the fact that they produced a nuclear explosion reverberates⁸ everywhere in the Middle East, and especially in Iran," noted Netanyahu. "They say 'Where is the world? Where is the international community? Where is the tough response?'"

Israel continues to threaten a military response to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, as the Obama administration works to convince Israeli leaders there is still time for a diplomatic solution.

1 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

2 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

3 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

8 reverberates   

回响，回荡( reverberate的第三人称单数 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射

参考例句：

• His voice reverberates from the high ceiling. 他的声音自天花板顶处反射回来。
• No single phrase of his reverberates or penetrates as so many of La Bruyere's do. 他没有一个句子能象拉布吕耶尔的许多句子那样余音回荡，入木三分。