2007年VOA标准英语-UN Nuclear Chief Expects No Problems Closing No

By Joseph Popiolkowski
Hong Kong
12 July 2007

The head of the United Nations nuclear agency says the shutdown of North Korea's main reactor¹, which will be monitored by inspectors² traveling to the country Saturday, should go "smoothly³." As Joseph Popiolkowski reports from Hong Kong, the declaration comes as China announces a new round of talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs will begin next week.

Mohamed ElBaradei answers a reporter's question during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, 12 July 2007

Mohamed ElBaradei, chief of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, said inspectors are ready to enter North Korea and monitor the shutdown of its Yongbyon reactor - the crucial first step in ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is visiting Seoul and on Thursday said he expects North Korea to comply with the promise it made in February to shutter⁴ the reactor.

"I expect that operation to move smoothly because we already have an agreement on how to go about it," he said.

 

But, he adds, further progress, including the abandonment of North Korea's nuclear program and full disclosure of its nuclear inventory⁵ hinges on the six-party talks, attended by North and South Korea, China, Russia, the United States, and Japan.

 

"Then we will have to wait for the negotiation⁶ at the six-party talk level to see how we can move to the second step, which is the eventual⁷ abandonment of the nuclear power program in DPRK and also an inventory of the nuclear materials," he said.

DPRK refers to North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

ElBaradei warned that the process of ending all of North Korea's nuclear programs could take considerable time. He noted⁸ the effort has gone more than 15 years.

North Korea in fact missed an April deadline to begin shutting down Yongbyon. Pyongyang said it would not proceed until money it had in a Macau bank was transferred to it. A series of technical problems delayed the transfer until last month. Once it was done, Pyongyang invited the IAEA into the country.

China's Foreign Ministry⁹ announced Thursday the talks would resume in Beijing on July 18.

Christopher Hill (file photo)

The top U.S. envoy¹⁰ to the talks, Christopher Hill, is expected to visit Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing starting Friday to consult with other diplomats¹¹ before the meeting starts.

Also on Thursday, South Korea sent the first portion of a promised one million tons of fuel oil to the energy-starved North. The fuel is part of a package of rewards for the communist-controlled North given in return for ending its nuclear program.

1 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。

2 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

4 shutter   

n.百叶窗；(照相机)快门；关闭装置

参考例句：

• The camera has a shutter speed of one-sixtieth of a second.这架照像机的快门速度达六十分之一秒。
• The shutter rattled in the wind.百叶窗在风中发出嘎嘎声。

5 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

6 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。

7 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

8 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。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 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。

11 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》