South Korea's chief diplomat says a diplomatic process aimed at getting rid of North Korea's nuclear weapons is at risk if Pyongyang continues on its current path. The North's moves to resume activity at its main nuclear reactor could end up isolating and impoverishing the country even further.
韩国外交通商部长官说，平壤如果继续一意孤行，将威胁到解除北韩核武器项目的外交进程。北韩恢复其主要核反应堆的核活动只能导致北韩进一步孤立和贫困。
South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said Friday North Korea is putting at risk the diplomatic effort that has been some five years in the making.
韩国外交通商部长官柳明桓星期五表示，北韩把各方已经为之努力了5 年左右的外交努力置于危险之中。
Referring to a six-nation talks process aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons, Yu says we are in a difficult situation where we may have to return to square one.
柳明桓在谈到为解除北韩核武器的六方会谈时说，我们的处境困难，恐怕不得不回到起点。
Since 2003, South Korea has joined the United States, Russia, China, and Japan in offering the North incentives to end its nuclear weapons programs. North Korea signed an agreement last year to declare those programs and began disabling its main nuclear facility at Yongbyon, with much broader disarmament steps to come in the future.
自从2003年以来，韩国跟美国、俄罗斯、中国和日本一起向北韩提出结束其核项目，以换取奖励的提议。北韩去年签署一项协议，同意公布其核项目清单、开始拆除在宁边的主要核反应堆，并且将在未来采取更广泛的裁军步骤。
However, this month North Korea said it was in the process of restarting Yongbyon, and it ejected international inspectors and their surveillance equipment from the plant's reprocessing facility.
可是，北韩上个月说，北韩正在重新启动宁边的核反应堆，并拒绝让国际核查人员和他们的检查设备进入核燃料再加工基地。
Foreign Minister Yu says the North's actions may have a political angle.
韩国外交通商部长官柳明桓说，北韩的行动也许有其政治动机。
He says it is possible that the North's decision to reverse its disablement is a strategy linked to the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
他说，北韩停止拆除核设施走回头路的决定有可能跟即将举行的美国总统大选有战略联系。
Michael Green is a former national security advisor to President Bush, and is now affiliated with Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
迈克尔·格林曾经担任布什总统的国家安全顾问，现在加入了共和党总统候选人约翰·麦凯恩的竞选班子。
He told a forum in Seoul Friday he thinks it is very unlikely there will be progress in the six nation talks until the U.S. election is resolved. He also says there is a good chance North Korea is considering steps to take to try to raise its bargaining leverage with the new administration.
星期五他在首尔的一个论坛会议上说，他认为在美国总统结束之前，六方会谈不大可能取得进展。他还说，北韩很可能正在考虑采取行动，以图增加跟美国新政府的谈判筹码。
"Incrementally they may try to move toward reprocessing of the remaining spent fuel rods... and they may also try rebuilding their five megawatt reactor and other facilities. And I believe we should signal to them very clearly that if they go down that path... the situation for them will be worse," he said.
格林说：“他们可能逐步采取行动，再加工遗留下来的已用燃料棒，他们还可能重建五兆瓦反应堆和其他设施。我认为我们应该向北韩发出明确信号，如果他们执迷不悟，后果将会更糟糕。”
North Korea tested a nuclear weapon two years ago, causing unanimous support for a strict sanctions resolution at the United Nations. Green points out the international community has not seriously implemented the resolution, because the North returned to talks. He says that could change, if North Korea continues to reverse its nuclear promises.
北韩两年前进行了一次核武器实验，引发各国一致支持联合国对北韩实施严厉制裁。格林说，国际社会并没有认真执行制裁北韩的决议，原因是北韩后来重返六方会谈。他说，如果北韩坚持不肯兑现其核承诺，局势恐怕会发生变化。 |