VOA标准英语2008年-US, EU Back Further Pressure on Iran

By Paula Wolfson
Ljubljana, Slovenia
10 June 2008

The United States and the European Union have agreed to step up pressure on Iran. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from Ljubljana, Slovenia, Iran's nuclear program was one of many issues discussed during talks between U.S. President George Bush and EU leaders.
　

U.S. President George W. Bush (l) takes part in a joint1 press conference with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa at Brdo Castle in Kranj, Slovenia, 10 Jun 2008

President Bush says the United States and Europe must join forces to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons

"One country cannot solve all problems. I fully² agree with that. A group of countries can send a clear message to the Iranians and that is: We are going to continue to isolate³ you, we will continue to work on sanctions, we will find new sanctions if need be, if you continue to deny the just demands of a free world," said Mr. Bush.

In their summit communiqué, the U.S. and EU leaders speak of imposing⁴ economic sanctions beyond those already put in place by the United Nations if Iran refuses to suspend nuclear enrichment. President Bush says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a dangerous place, stressing Tehran has a decision to make.

"They can either face isolation⁵ or they can have better relations with all of us if the verifiably suspend their enrichment program," added President Bush.

There was no breakthrough at the summit on another lead item on the agenda: climate change. At a news conference after the talks, Mr. Bush repeated his opposition⁶ to mandatory⁷ restrictions⁸ on emissions⁹ of so-called "greenhouse gases". But he said he remains¹⁰ hopeful a common strategy can be achieved.

"I think we can actually get an agreement on global climate change during my presidency¹¹, just so you know," he said.

The prime minister of Slovenia, which currently holds the revolving¹² presidency of the European Council, represented the 27 EU members at the summit.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also took part in the meeting. He says it is important that this summit occurred in a relatively¹³ young democracy - part of a post Cold War growth spurt¹⁴ in EU membership.

"And now we have from the Atlantic to the Black Sea, from the Mediterranean¹⁵ to the Baltic Sea, democratic countries living together in peace," he said.

They had a broad agenda for the summit, which only lasted a few hours - from the Middle-East, to settling a trans-Atlantic dispute over access to European markets for U.S. chickens.

On security issues, there was a demonstration¹⁶ of shared values with a call for China to engage in "results-oriented" talks on Tibet with representatives of the Dalai Lama.

The summit also urged the government of Zimbabwe to refrain from violence and voter intimidation¹⁷ and ensure a free and fair presidential run-off election on June 27.

The summit took place at a castle just outside Ljubljana. It is the same spot where President Bush held his first meeting in June 2001 with then Russian President Vladimir Putin and famously declared he looked into Mr. Putin's eyes and got a sense of his soul.

As his final summit with EU leaders ended, Mr. Bush sounded a bit nostalgic.

"My first visit as the U.S. President to Europe included my first stop in Slovenia. My last visit as U.S. President to Europe includes a first stop in Slovenia. It is a fitting circle," he said.

From Slovenia, President Bush travels to four key Western European allies - Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

4 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

5 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

8 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

9 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

12 revolving   

adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
• The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。

13 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

14 spurt   

v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆

参考例句：

• He put in a spurt at the beginning of the eighth lap.他进入第八圈时便开始冲刺。
• After a silence, Molly let her anger spurt out.沉默了一会儿，莫莉的怒气便迸发了出来。

15 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

16 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

17 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。