2006年VOA标准英语-US Seeks Swift Progress at Korea Nuclear Talks

By David Gollust
State Department
13 December 2006

The lead U.S. delegate to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program says he wants to see concrete progress before the end of the year. The Chinese-sponsored negotiations¹ reconvene in Beijing Monday after an interruption of more than a year. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

The six-party talks produced an agreement in principle in September of last year under which North Korea said it would give up its nuclear program in return for aid and security guarantees.

Now, chief U.S. delegate Christopher Hill says the next phase will be implementation³ of that framework and he is hoping to see some tangible⁴ results by the time the new round breaks in about a week for the Christmas holiday period.

Top American nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill speaks to the media after arriving at Beijing airport Monday 27 Nov. 2006

"We need concrete progress," said Mr. Hill.  "We need a sign that we have moved off of the pages of the September agreement and on to the ground of the Korean Peninsula. And we have always felt that as we move from that September agreement to the next phase, the next phase would in fact be implementation."

The six-party talks broke down only two months after the September 2005 accord, with North Korea refusing to return because of U.S. penalties leveled against a Macao bank, Banco Delta⁵ Asia, which the United States alleges⁶ was as a hub for illicit⁷ North Korean financial activity, including passing counterfeit⁸ U.S. currency.

The United States has said it is willing to deal with that issue in the six-party framework.  Hill disclosed that in tandem⁹ with the opening of the nuclear talks, U.S. Treasury¹⁰ Department officials will meet with a North Korea team for a preliminary discussion of the Banco Delta Asia issue.

North Korea announced it would return to the six-party talks in late October, three weeks after it tested a nuclear device and was hit with U.N. Security Council sanctions.

Hill, under questioning, said no one accepts North Korea as a nuclear power because of the test and that Pyongyang should not expect that the detonation¹¹ will bring it any more bargaining power at the six-way talks.

"I don't think they should be looking for anything additional as a result of this behavior, which after all is a behavior that has frankly¹² speaking been a step back for the talks and has done some damage to the talks," he added.  "Again, I want to emphasize that what we are doing is implementing¹³ the September statement. So to suggest that they should get something else would be to suggest that we're going to change the September statement, and we're not going to do that."

Hill, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian affairs, said he would consult in Japan and possibly also South Korea before heading to Beijing Sunday.

He said all six parties would convene² informally Sunday evening before the official opening of the new round on Monday.

The six-party talks, which have been underway - on and off - since 2003, include Russia, Japan and South Korea as well as North Korea, the United States and host China.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

3 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

4 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

5 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

6 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。

7 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

8 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。

9 tandem   

n.同时发生；配合；adv.一个跟着一个地；纵排地；adj.（两匹马）前后纵列的

参考例句：

• Malcolm's contract will run in tandem with his existing one.马尔科姆的合同将与他手头的合同同时生效。
• He is working in tandem with officials of the Serious Fraud Office.他正配合欺诈重案办公室的官员工作。

10 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

11 detonation   

n.爆炸；巨响

参考例句：

• A fearful detonation burst forth on the barricade.街垒传来一阵骇人的爆炸声。
• Within a few hundreds of microseconds,detonation is complete.在几百微秒之内，爆炸便完成了。

12 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

13 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句