VOA常速英语2007-Multinational Delegates Map Out Energy Strategy

By Kurt Achin
Panmunjom
29 October 2007

Delegates from six nations are mapping out the specifics of sending energy aid to North Korea as it ends its nuclear weapons programs. Negotiators are seeking the right timing¹ and blend of energy assistance to ensure North Korea adheres to its promises. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from the site of the talks, Panmunjom, in the middle of the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.

At the start of energy aid talks Monday, the head of the South Korean delegation², Lim Sung-nam, praised this year's progress in efforts to end North Korea's nuclear programs. But, he also acknowledged the work is far from over.

"The road before us could be bumpy³, and might have more ups and downs than the route we have gone through so far, primarily because we will be discussing extremely technical issues," he said.

South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the United States have worked for four years to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear programs in exchange not just for energy, but also financial, security, and diplomatic rewards. Pyongyang tested its first nuclear weapon a year ago, in violation⁴ of several international agreements.

Earlier this year, North Korea received about 100-thousand tons of heavy fuel oil after halting operations at its main nuclear facility. South Korea says Pyongyang will begin living up to a second round of promises - declaring and disabling all of its nuclear facilities - in about two weeks.

Once that is done, under the six-nation accord, North Korea will receive the equivalent 900,000 tons of heavy oil. Delegates say much of the energy aid will probably be in the form of upgrades to North Korea's decrepit⁵ power generation system.

It is not clear whether Japan will provide any fuel assistance. Tokyo has refused to do so, saying North Korea must be more forthcoming about Japanese citizens Pyongyang's agents abducted⁶ in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

South Korea's Lim says Japan has not indicated any change in its position.

He says getting Japan to contribute energy aid to North Korea will depend on the progress of talks between those two countries.

If North Korea eliminates all its nuclear programs, it also can expect talks on normalizing diplomatic ties with the United States. Normal ties with Tokyo and Washington could result in new trade and assistance for the poverty-stricken North.

Another goal linked to the six-party process is a permanent peace arrangement between North and South Korea. The two sides never formally ended their war after fighting stopped in 1953, three years after the North invaded the South. It was in Panmunjom, where the energy talks are taking place, that the armistice⁷ still in place was signed.

1 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

2 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。

3 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

4 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

5 decrepit   

adj.衰老的，破旧的

参考例句：

• The film had been shot in a decrepit old police station.该影片是在一所破旧不堪的警察局里拍摄的。
• A decrepit old man sat on a park bench.一个衰弱的老人坐在公园的长凳上。

6 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

7 armistice   

n.休战，停战协定

参考例句：

• The two nations signed an armistice.两国签署了停火协议。
• The Italian armistice is nothing but a clumsy trap.意大利的停战不过是一个笨拙的陷阱。