2007年VOA标准英语-US Expects Progress at Next Round of Korea Nucl

By David Gollust
State Department
01 February 2007

The chief U.S. delegate to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program says there are reasons to expect progress at the next round, which begins in Beijing February 8. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs Christopher Hill says he hopes the talks will produce agreement on a first phase of steps leading to a denuclearized Korean peninsula.  VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

North Korea refused to even discuss disarmament at the last round of talks in Beijing in December, demanding instead that the United States lift sanctions in imposed on Pyongyang in 2005 for alleged¹ illicit² financial activity.

However, Assistant Secretary Hill held bilateral³ talks with his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye-Gwan two weeks ago in Berlin, and U.S. Treasury⁴ officials have just completed what were termed "useful" meetings on the financial issues with a North Korean team in Beijing.

In a talk with reporters here, Hill said he was not prepared to declare outright⁵ that North Korea has changed its approach with regard to the talks. But he nonetheless made clear he is going into the new round with an expectation of progress on the core nuclear issue.

Christopher Hill

"I'm not sure it really helps me to tell you that the North Koreans have changed their position," he said.  "I don't think it's very helpful if I say things like that, because then they'll want to say that they haven't. So let me just go back to my formulation that we have a reason to believe that we can make some progress."

Hill said the aim of the upcoming round is to make a "substantial start" on implementing⁶ the agreement in principle the six parties made in September of 2005.

Under that framework, North Korea said it was prepared to end its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security guarantees from the other parties, which include South Korea, Japan and Russia as well as North Korea, the United States and host China.

The U.S. envoy⁷ would not specify⁸ what the initial phase, or as he put it, the first "tranche," of a disarmament deal might include. But he did not dispute a recent comment by U.S. intelligence chief John Negroponte that a freeze in the North Korean nuclear program was one objective.

Under questioning, Hill dismissed suggestions that political pressure on North Korea to give up nuclear weapons might dissipate if it merely agreed to a first phase of measures.

He said one advantage of the six party format⁹, as opposed to the bilateral approach pursued with Pyongyang in the 1990's by the Clinton administration, is that North Korea is also subject to leverage¹⁰ by its main allies and trading partners.

"I think the overall architecture of this, of six different countries involving some of the most important countries of the world," he added.  "Japan is the second-largest economy in the world, the United States is the first largest, China is an enormous player, Russia is an enormous energy player for example. I mean these are big players, and so by getting everyone together, I think we do have a reason to believe we can get beyond the initial tranche."

Hill said the U.S. Treasury team had "good discussions" with the North Koreans over the financial issues this week in Beijing, but did not elaborate.

The Treasury Department in late 2005 imposed sanctions on a Macao-based Chinese bank it said had been used as a hub by North Korea for passing counterfeit¹¹ U.S. banknote and other illicit activity.

The U.S. envoy will visit Seoul and Tokyo for consultations¹² before arriving in Beijing next Wednesday on the eve of the new round of nuclear talks. He said he expects to have separate meetings with the North Koreans on the sidelines of the talks, which he indicated would last three or four days.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 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%。

3 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

4 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。

5 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

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 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

8 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

9 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

10 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

11 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。

12 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》