2006年VOA标准英语-Free-Trade Talks Between US, S. Korea End Witho

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
14 July 2006

A disagreement over pharmaceutical¹ products has derailed attempts to negotiate a free-trade agreement between South Korea and the United States.  While negotiators still hope to reach a deal, serious disputes remain to be overcome.

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South Korean protesters shout slogans during an anti-Free Trade Agreement rally in Seoul, 14 July 2006 
  
A week of free-trade talks here in Seoul came to an end earlier than scheduled Friday, when South Korean negotiators announced they were canceling the afternoon session.

Their decision was in response to the U.S. side's boycott² of the previous day's session, devoted³ to a discussion of medical and pharmaceutical products.

The controversy⁴ involved a pending⁵ new South Korean policy to reimburse⁶ South Koreans when they buy government-approved medicines from a so-called "positive list."  Chief U.S. negotiator Wendy Cutler complains that many U.S. pharmaceutical products are not on the list. "The proposed positive list system would end up discriminating⁷ against innovative⁸ drugs," said Cutler.

The positive list system is slated⁹ to go into effect in September, the same month the two countries are scheduled to hold a third round of free-trade talks in Seattle. 

The two sides remain at odds¹⁰ over several elements, but the main point of controversy is agriculture, especially rice.  The U.S. delegation¹¹ says a comprehensive deal must allow U.S. producers to sell more rice and other farm products to South Korean consumers. 

That demand faces sharp opposition¹² from South Korean farmers, who have traditionally enjoyed a high level of government protection.

Another sticking point is the Kaesong industrial zone in North Korea, where South Korean companies use cheap North Korean labor¹³.  Chief South Korean negotiator Kim Jong-hoon says products made in Kaesong should be treated under the deal as having originated in the South.

Kim argues that Kaesong is included in free-trade agreements South Korea has concluded with other countries, and suggests Washington should follow that precedent¹⁴.

However, U.S. leaders say too little is known about how North Korean workers in Kaesong are treated and paid.  North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and its recent missile tests may have further stiffened¹⁵ U.S. opposition to Kaesong's inclusion, because the zone generates hard currency, which Pyonyang may choose to spend on its military.

The negotiators are hoping to have a deal in place before next July, while President Bush still has the authority to submit a proposed deal to Congress for a simple yes-or-no vote.

After that, Congress will have the right to submit amendments¹⁶, which could be unacceptable to South Korea, and could kill the deal.

1 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

2 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。

3 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

6 reimburse   

v.补偿，付还

参考例句：

• We'll reimburse you for your travelling expenses.我们将付还你旅费。
• The funds are supposed to reimburse policyholders in the event of insurer failure.这项基金将在保险公司不能偿付的情况下对投保人进行赔付。

7 discriminating   

a.有辨别能力的

参考例句：

• Due caution should be exercised in discriminating between the two. 在区别这两者时应该相当谨慎。
• Many businesses are accused of discriminating against women. 许多企业被控有歧视妇女的做法。

8 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

9 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。

10 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

11 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

13 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

14 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

15 stiffened   

加强的

参考例句：

• He leaned towards her and she stiffened at this invasion of her personal space. 他向她俯过身去，这种侵犯她个人空间的举动让她绷紧了身子。
• She stiffened with fear. 她吓呆了。

16 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。