2006年VOA标准英语-US Envoy Says North Koreans Face 'Stark Choice'

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
19 December 2006

United States Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow says it is possible to resolve financial issues holding up progress in dismantling¹ North Korea's nuclear weapons. In an exclusive interview, Alexander Vershbow also tells VOA's Seoul correspondent Kurt Achin there will only be progress at this week's nuclear disarmament talks if Pyongyang shows what he calls "seriousness."

Alexander Vershbow

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow told VOA Tuesday he was not surprised that North Korea opened this week's disarmament talks in Beijing with an extensive list of demands.

"[The] North Koreans are expressing [a] certain air of self-confidence, but I think they know that if they look at the world as it is, that they face a tough situation that's only going to get tougher," he said.

On Monday, Pyongyang's negotiator declared that North Korea's recent nuclear weapons test makes it a nuclear power. He said Pyongyang will not begin to dismantle² its nuclear programs until the United Nations and United States end all sanctions against it.

The United States, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and China have tried for three years to persuade Pyongyang to end its nuclear capabilities³ in exchange for aid and diplomatic benefits.

Vershbow says bilateral⁴ meetings that began Tuesday on the sidelines of the six-party discussions may address some of the North's financial concerns.

 

Pyongyang returned to the nuclear talks after a 13-month boycott⁵ after the United States said it would discuss its financial sanctions on some North Korean enterprises.

He says the U.S. delegates will explain that the sanctions are to protect the banking⁶ system from alleged⁷ North Korean money laundering⁸ and counterfeiting⁹.

"These measures were a response to North Korean illicit¹⁰ activities, and if they can take steps to assure us that those activities are going to be brought to an end, then this problem can be solved. It does take two to tango," he noted¹¹.

Vershbow says the goal of this week's Beijing talks is to shape a "road map" North Korea can follow in tandem¹² with the U.S. and its partners toward ending its nuclear weapons programs.

The United States has insisted on dealing¹³ with the nuclear issue within the six-party talks, saying regional neighbors should share responsibility for such a major issue.

But within that framework, Washington has been willing to hold one-on-one sessions with North Korea. Vershbow told VOA, however, that the North declined a meeting before this week's gathering¹⁴ - although it has often demanded bilateral contact.

"We had indicated we were available as early as Sunday for some bilateral contacts but they chose only to meet with the Chinese," he said.

North Korea's test of a nuclear weapon in October and missile tests in July led to U.N. sanctions and a drop in food aid. Vershbow warns a lack of "seriousness" by the North in fulfilling its pledges to denuclearize will only create more hardship in a country that many experts say is on the verge¹⁵ of famine.

"Their economy, which is already in a bleak¹⁶ state, will only get worse. So, they have a fairly stark¹⁷ choice," he said.

U.S. officials have said Washington might seek to impose even tougher sanctions against North Korea if it does not comply with its many past pledges to give up nuclear arms.

1 dismantling   

（枪支）分解

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。
• The dismantling of a nuclear reprocessing plant caused a leak of radioactivity yesterday. 昨天拆除核后处理工厂引起了放射物泄漏。

2 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

3 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

4 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

5 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

6 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

7 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

8 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 counterfeiting   

n.伪造v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was sent to prison for counterfeiting five-dollar bills. 他因伪造5美元的钞票被捕入狱。 来自辞典例句
• National bureau released securities, certificates with security anti-counterfeiting paper technical standards. 国家质量技术监督局发布了证券、证件用安全性防伪纸张技术标准。 来自互联网

10 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

11 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。

12 tandem   

n.同时发生；配合；adv.一个跟着一个地；纵排地；adj.（两匹马）前后纵列的

参考例句：

• Malcolm's contract will run in tandem with his existing one.马尔科姆的合同将与他手头的合同同时生效。
• He is working in tandem with officials of the Serious Fraud Office.他正配合欺诈重案办公室的官员工作。

13 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

14 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。

15 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

16 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

17 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。