2007年VOA标准英语-US Rebuffs North Korean Offer for Military Talk

By Joseph Popiolkowski
Hong Kong
13 July 2007

North Korea says it wants to hold military talks with the United States, but Washington says any direct talks would only come after an end to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. Joseph Popiolkowski has more from Hong Kong.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that Pyongyang wants military talks with the United States to discuss peace and security on the Korean peninsula.

Christopher Hill, left, accompanied by his Japanese counterpart Kenichiro Sasae, speaks to reporters following their meeting in Tokyo, 13 July 2007

But, Christopher Hill, the chief U.S. envoy¹ to six-nation talks on North Korea, says Washington wants to see an end to Pyongyang's nuclear programs first.

Hill arrived in Japan Friday for consultations² before the six-party talks resume in Beijing on Wednesday.

Kim Tae-woo, the senior nuclear weapons researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense³ Analyses in Seoul, says there is still too much friction⁴ between the two sides for military talks.

"I don't think the conditions are mature for the two nations to have military talks," said Kim.

He says North Korea's move is part of its peace offensive, in which it is maneuvering⁵ to deal directly with the United States and exclude the other nations in the talks - South Korea, China, Japan, and Russia.

He worries North Korea could use its call for military talks as an excuse for not ending its nuclear ambitions.

"I'm paying attention to their real intentions," he said. "If North Korea has not decided⁶ to completely denuclearize then this peace offensive can be dangerous to South Korea."

The United States fought alongside South Korea in the three-year Korean War. An armistice⁷ in 1953 ended hostilities⁸ but North and South Korea remain technically⁹ at war. The North Koreans say the presence of U.S. troops in the South threatens them.

North Korea's overture¹⁰ to the U.S. was made in the run-up to the arrival in Pyongyang Saturday of a United Nations nuclear inspection¹¹ team. The team is to monitor the promised shutdown of North Korea's main nuclear facility.

The impoverished¹² North Korea agreed at six-party talks in February to shut down its nuclear facilities in return for aid and diplomatic benefits.

1 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。

2 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》

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

5 maneuvering   

v.移动，用策略( maneuver的现在分词 )；操纵

参考例句：

• This Manstein did, with some brilliant maneuvering under the worse winter conditions. 曼施坦因在最恶劣的严冬条件下，出色地施展了灵活机动的战术，终于完成了任务。 来自辞典例句
• In short, large goals required farsighted policies, not tactical maneuvering. 一句话，大的目标需要有高瞻远瞩的政策，玩弄策略是不行的。 来自辞典例句

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

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。

8 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

9 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

10 overture   

n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉

参考例句：

• The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
• His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。

11 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

12 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》