2006年VOA标准英语-India and Pakistan Open New Round of Talks

By Bill Gasperini
Moscow
17 January 2006

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov  
  
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says a diplomatic solution could end the standoff with Iran over its nuclear program. But he says Iran must first reinstate the moratorium¹ on uranium enrichment it broke last week.

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

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that it should be possible to find a negotiated solution with Iran to end the nuclear standoff without resorting to sanctions.

But he says Tehran cannot expect talks to succeed unless it halts work on its uranium enrichment program that was resumed last week.

At a wide-ranging news conference in Moscow, Mr. Lavrov cautioned against "letting momentary² political considerations" get in the way of diplomacy³, reiterating⁴ Russia's belief that referring the issue to the United Nations Security Council was not a solution.

Europe and the United States say that may be the next step if Iran fails to end what many suspect is a program to develop nuclear weapons while claiming its aim is solely⁵ to produce energy.

Moscow has proposed a compromise solution in which uranium enrichment would take place in Russia for use in Iran's nuclear reactors⁶.

After previously⁷ rejecting this idea, on Monday Iran's ambassador to Russia, Gholamreza Ansari, said his country is still considering it.

Mr. Lavrov says Russia plans to hold formal talks with Iran on the proposal in mid-February.

The overall aim is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons through constructive⁸ dialogue, he says, adding that a collective approach should be able to find a means to solve the issue.

Russia is building a nuclear power plant in Iran and has certain leverage⁹ with those Mr. Lavrov calls "our Iranian partners."

On Monday, President Vladimir Putin also urged caution in dealing¹⁰ with the Iranian issue, saying Tehran might still accept the enrichment plan, which Western nations also support.

But the mixed signals coming out of Iran have left the international community skeptical¹¹ about Tehran's true intentions.

Diplomats¹² meeting in London Monday called for an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency on February 2 that could refer the issue to the Security Council.

1 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

2 momentary   

adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的

参考例句：

• We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
• I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

3 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

4 reiterating   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He keeps reiterating his innocence. 他一再申明他无罪。
• The Chinese government also sent a note to the British government, reiterating its position. 中国政府同时将此立场照会英国政府。

5 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

6 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

7 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

8 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

9 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。

10 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。

11 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

12 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》