2006年VOA标准英语-US Nuclear Talks Envoy Begins Shuttle Dipl

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
11 January 2006

The top U.S. envoy¹ to multi-national talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programs has arrived in Asia in an effort to revive the talks.  Even though he is expected to be in Beijing at about the same time as North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, he says there are no plans for the two to meet.

------------------------------------------

 
Christopher Hill 
  

Arriving at an airport in Seoul, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill dismissed speculation² of a connection between his visit to China and that of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

"The trip that Chairman Kim Jong Il took to China was a surprise to all of us, and it is a complete coincidence that I am in the area at the same time," he said.

Hill met with Japanese officials and is scheduled to depart Thursday for Beijing, after talking to senior South Korean officials.

South Korean intelligence sources say Kim Jong Il arrived Tuesday in China.  South Korean media report he is expected to arrive in Beijing after a short stop in Shanghai.

The United States, China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia have been trying to persuade North Korea for three years to fulfill³ its international obligations not to build nuclear weapons.

Last September, North Korea agreed in principle to dismantle⁴ its nuclear capabilities⁵ in exchange for economic and political incentives⁶.

Shortly after that agreement, Pyongyang announced it would take no steps toward denuclearization until the United States provided it with a lightwater nuclear reactor⁷.  The United States and South Korea say the North must first dismantle its existing nuclear facilities under international supervision⁸.

In recent weeks, North Korea has also said it would boycott⁹ the six-party talks unless the United States dropped economic sanctions against the communist country.  U.S. officials say they have substantial evidence Pyongyang has been issuing counterfeit¹⁰ U.S. dollars on a large scale.

Hill says Washington does not link the counterfeiting¹¹ issue with the nuclear talks.

"It is not a six-party matter, it is a law enforcement matter," he explained.  "And I am not a law enforcement official."

Hill says he hopes China will use its leverage¹² as North Korea's main ally to help set a date for more six-party talks as soon as possible.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

3 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

4 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。

5 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

6 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

8 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

9 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。

10 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

11 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

12 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。