VOA标准英语2008年-White House Skeptical North Korea Will Declare

By Paula Wolfson
White House
02 January 2008

The Bush administration's top official on North Korea is returning to the region later this week, just days after Pyongyang missed a deadline to file a complete declaration of its nuclear activities. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports under terms of an agreement reached with the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia, Pyongyang promised to file the declaration by the end of 2007.

The State Department will not say where Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill is going. But his agenda is clear: to do all he can to convince North Korea to file the overdue¹ nuclear declaration.

In public, the Bush administration is using subtle diplomacy² to make its case to Pyongyang, indicating a late declaration which is complete and accurate would be acceptable.

At the White House, spokeswoman Dana Perino acknowledged there is room for doubt the declaration will ever be filed.

"It is only appropriate that we would be skeptical," she said.  "It is a very closed society that has had a secret program that has been ongoing³."

But she made clear that Washington continues to hope for the best.

"We don't have any indication that they will not provide one," she said. "But they missed the deadline and we are waiting to hear from them."

Christopher Hill will not be the only senior U.S. diplomat⁴ working the issue in the days ahead. Perino told reporters Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will travel to China later this month for regularly scheduled consultations⁵, and the North Korean declaration will be on the agenda.

When asked if the United States expects no declaration before the Negroponte trip, Perino said the timing⁶ is up to Pyongyang. She said only that the United States hopes to have the declaration as soon as possible.

Perino also noted⁷ that U.S. experts are continuing to work with the North Koreans to help them disable their main nuclear complex. The job was supposed to be complete by the December 31 deadline, but has been delayed due to safety concerns raised by the United States.

1 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

2 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

5 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》

6 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。

7 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。