2007年VOA标准英语-Rice Warns Against New North Korean Nuclear Tes

By David Gollust
State Department
05 January 2007

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday a new North Korean nuclear test would only deepen that country's isolation¹. Rice, who met with her South Korean counterpart in Washington, said the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program could resume in short order if Pyongyang is prepared to be forthcoming. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

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Condoleezza Rice, right, and S. Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Song Min-Soon take part in joint news conference at State Department in Washington

The Secretary's meeting with the new South Korean Foreign Minister, Song Min-Soon, came amid news reports that North Korea might be preparing for a second nuclear test.

Rice and other officials here refused to discuss whether the United States had intelligence information to support such accounts.

But at a press appearance with her South Korean counterpart, Rice said another test would not make political sense for Pyongyang and would only compound the isolation it found itself in after its first test in October which drew sanctions from the U.N. Security Council:

"The North Koreans would have to know that any such test would obviously further deepen their isolation," she said.  "The last test, of course, got them a Chapter Seven resolution which was a 15-to-zero vote and fairly extensive sanctions. So I don't think that from the North Korean point of view it would be a reasonable course and obviously the reasonable course is return to the six-party talks."

For his part, Foreign Minister Song said the Seoul government had no information that a North Korean nuclear test is imminent³.

On his first Washington visit since becoming Foreign Minister in December, Song joined Rice in urging a quick resumption of the six-party talks, which had been idle for more than a year before the week-long round in Beijing last month.

He said it is Pyongyang's turn to come back with a realistic response to proposals made in December, and that continuing its nuclear program will bring that country no benefit:

"North Korea has to know that a nuclear weapon does not guarantee its security nor help in resolving its economic problems," he said.  "They have to come back to the talks and de-nuclearize the [Korean] peninsula, and get a wider opening for the country in the future."

Last month, the United States is understood to have presented specifics on what North Korea stood to gain if it scrapped⁴ its nuclear program under terms of the agreement in principle reached by the parties in September of 2005.

Under that accord, North Korean steps toward disarmament are to trigger aid and security guarantees from the other participants, who include South Korea, Japan and Russia as well as North Korea, the United States and host China.

Rice said the talks could resume fairly soon if Pyongyang signaled it was ready to be constructive⁵, but she did not repeat an assertion by a spokesman earlier that the Chinese-mediated discussions could resume this month.

North Korea was said to have refused to discuss disarmament at the last round, instead demanding that Washington lift penalties it imposed on a Chinese bank - the Macao-based Banco Delta⁶ Asia - that U.S. officials said was a hub for illicit⁷ North Korean financial activity, including passing counterfeit⁸ U.S. money.

Rice, however, said there were some productive discussions last month and didn't think the Banco Delta Asia issue was really a major stumbling block.

She noted⁹ that North Korea had agreed to discuss the matter separately with U.S. Treasury¹⁰ Department officials in New York, and that this is the proper channel to discuss a legal issue.

Foreign Minister Song said he agreed the matter should be addressed in parallel with the six-party talks, and not mixed with the nuclear issue.

1 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

4 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

5 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。

6 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。

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 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

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。