2006年VOA标准英语-Expectations Low for Six-Party Talks on North K

By Bill Rodgers
Washington, D.C.
15 December 2006
 
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Six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program officially open Monday in Beijing but expectations are reported to be low that a breakthrough can be achieved.  The talks -- which will bring together China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Russia and North Korea --  resume after a 13-month hiatus.  During that time, Pyongyang tested a nuclear weapon that led the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions on North Korea.  U.S. officials are demanding concrete results from this latest round of talks but some analysts¹ doubt the negotiations³ will lead Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons program. 

Christopher Hill talks to reports before departing Beijing

The last round of six-party talks in September 2005 resulted in an agreement in principle, in which North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear program in return for aid and security guarantees.

But North Korea later suspended the process after the United States imposed financial sanctions on Pyongyang as punishment for counterfeiting⁴ U.S. currency and other infractions. 

With the resumption of talks in Beijing this weekend, lead U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill is calling for tangible⁵ results in implementing⁶ the September 2005 agreement. "We need concrete progress.  We need a sign that we have moved off the pages of the September agreement and on to the ground of the Korean peninsula,” said Mr. Hill. “And we have always felt that as we move from that September agreement to the next phase, the next phase would in fact be implementation⁷."

In October, North Korea announced it had tested a nuclear weapon -- and this followed a missile test earlier in the year.  Because of this, some analysts are skeptical⁸ that North Korea will now decide to reverse course.  Robert Gallucci, dean of the Foreign Service School at Georgetown University, is not optimistic about the upcoming talks.

"I don't think one should have an enormous amount optimism that the talks are going to produce an agreement that will end the North Korean nuclear weapons program, which is presumably the objective here.  I think they [the talks] could improve the atmosphere a bit and make it perhaps less likely that the North Koreans will engage in continuing provocations⁹."

At a briefing Wednesday, Assistant Secretary Hill declined to discuss specific U.S. objectives for the talks.  But U.S. officials reportedly have said one sign of tangible progress would be if North Korea agrees to shut down operations at its Yongbyon reactor¹⁰. 

While significant, this would still fall short of expectations -- according to Robert Gallucci. "That's a substantive¹¹ step and it would be a good one and one that the North Koreans could afford to do. So you can imagine steps that would, and should, be counted as progress.  But a full-blown re-do of a framework with North Korea -- the kind of thing envisioned a year ago at the last round -- that seems quite a stretch."

This will be the sixth round of six-party talks, which began in 2003.  Hill acknowledges they will be difficult, but stresses their importance. "This is a new phase in the six-party process, a very important phase, and a phase that if we can do this successfully I think we can look ahead to the full realization¹² of this agreement."

But negotiating with North Korea presents challenges.  Robert Gallucci, who led the negotiations that led to the 1994 nuclear framework agreement with North Korea, recalls the difficulties. "They have a different approach to a negotiation² that is much more of an opportunity to use rhetoric¹³, some amount of drama and this for on,e as a negotiator personally, it's interesting and it leads to, I would say, a premium¹⁴ on creativity in the negotiations."

The six-party talks officially open Monday in Beijing, although an informal session may be held Sunday evening.

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

3 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。

4 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

5 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。

6 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

7 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。

8 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。

9 provocations   

n.挑衅( provocation的名词复数 )；激怒；刺激；愤怒的原因

参考例句：

• We cannot ignore such provocations. 对于这种挑衅，我们不能置之不理。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They must immediately cease all their provocations. 他们必须停止一切挑衅。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 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。

11 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

12 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

13 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

14 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。