US 'opposes' nuclear North Korea（在线收听）

US 'opposes' nuclear North Korea

 美国反对朝鲜核计划

Robert Gates says the US will not accept Pyongyang's nuclear activities

The US "will not accept" a nuclear-armed North Korea, Defence Secretary Robert Gates has told an Asian summit.

Mr Gates told his counterparts the US would "not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction（破坏，毁灭） on any target".

A top Chinese army official attending the meeting in Singapore called on Pyongyang to move to denuclearisation.

Earlier, the US said activity in the North could indicate plans for a new long-range missile（导弹） test.

Vehicle movements resembled the build-up to a test last month, the US said.

'Potential arms race'

Speaking in Singapore, Mr Gates made it clear the US would take an extremely dim view（悲观的看法） of more nuclear or missile testing by North Korea.

"The truth of the matter is if they continue on the path they are on, I think the consequences for stability in the region are significant.

  Our stand on the issue is consistent. We are resolutely(坚决的，果断的) opposed to nuclear proliferation （增殖，分芽繁殖）

Ma Xiaotian

People's Liberation Army, China

"I think it poses the potential for some kind of an arms race here in this region.

"We will not stand idly （懒散的，漫不经心的）by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction on any target in the region or on us," Mr Gates added.

But he insisted the next step in negating Pyongyang's ambitions would be political, not military.

The Pentagon chief also argued for bolstering（支持） diplomatic relations with China, and cited common challenges facing regional Asian powers: counterterrorism(反暴力主义), piracy, energy security and disaster relief.

"It is essential for the United States and China to find opportunities to co-operate wherever possible," he said.

The BBC's Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, says Mr Gates' speech is probably intended to reassure countries in this region that the new administration in Washington is committed to support its allies.

Some of his words were echoed by Ma Xiaotian, deputy（代理的，副的） chief of general staff of China's People's Liberation Army.

"Our stand on the issue is consistent（始终如一的）. We are resolutely opposed to nuclear proliferation. Our view is that the Korean peninsula should move towards denuclearisation," Mr Ma told the summit.

"Our hope is that all parties concerned will remain cool-headed and take measures to address the problem."

New test concerns

Before Mr Gates spoke, defence officials in Washington said US satellite photos had revealed vehicle activity at a site in North Korea used to fire long-range missiles.

 Q&A: North Korea nuclear test

What is N Korea's game plan? 

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity（在匿名的情况下）, said the US was closely monitoring（监视，控制） the North's missile sites and other sensitive facilities.

However, a Pentagon official told the BBC that the US had noticed this type of activity on previous occasions which did not always lead to a missile being fired.

The official said activity at this site had been going on for more than a couple of days, but did not know for how long exactly.

On Friday, Pyongyang also fired a short-range missile off its east coast, and warned of "self-defence" measures if the UN Security Council imposed sanctions over what it says was a successful nuclear test carried out earlier in the week.

The North has been subject to international criticism, including from the US, China and Russia, since the explosion, which if confirmed would be the North's second ever atomic test.

The hardline communist state, under President Kim Jong-il, has threatened military action against the South after Seoul's decision to join a US-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) under which North Korean ships could be stopped and searched.

US and South Korean troops are currently on high alert after the North said it was no longer bound by the truce that ended the Korean war in 1953.

Pyongyang says this decision to join the PSI is tantamount to an act of war. (本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)