VOA常速英语2008年-US Envoy Suggests 'Now or Never' for Indian Nuc

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
10 February 2008

The U.S. envoy¹ to India has broken a long silence regarding the stalemate in the proposed nuclear cooperation agreement between New Delhi and Washington. As Steve Herman reports from the Indian capital, the American ambassador's comment is being viewed as a blunt warning to New Delhi to move ahead with the pact².

In remarks broadcast by an Indian cable television news channel, U.S. Ambassador David Mulford warned time is running out for India to clear the remaining hurdles³ if it wants to enact⁴ a controversial nuclear cooperation deal with the United States.

The deal is seen as crucial for helping⁵ India's growing economy overcome energy shortages in the years ahead.

In an interview with the CNN-IBN channel, Ambassador Mulford said elections in the U.S. will put a new administration in the White House and change the face of congress from next January. He says that means the window of opportunity for India to finalize⁶ the nuclear deal is closing.

"If this is not processed in the present Congress, it is unlikely that this deal will be offered again to India," said Ambassador Mulford. "It certainly would not be revived and offered by any administration, Democratic or Republican, before the year 2010, which is after the life of this particular administration in India."

Under the deal, Washington and New Delhi would have a new strategic relation that would give India access to nuclear fuel and equipment from the United States. India was frozen out of such a relationship for nearly 30 years because it had conducted nuclear weapons tests and did not sign international non-proliferation agreements.

Opponents of the deal worry it could help bolster⁷ India's nuclear-weapons stockpile and trigger a regional arms race. Political observers say such opponents might be more influential⁸ in the next Congress and the next presidential administration might not be as enthusiastic to take on lawmakers with such concerns.

The deal has also faced strong opposition⁹ from India's left, which objects to closer cooperation with the United States. Opponents in India also say the agreement would infringe¹⁰ on Indian sovereignty, because it might restrict India from conducting further nuclear tests.

Ambassador Mulford rejects arguments that the deal is designed to make India a subordinate ally of the United States.

"That is completely untrue," he said. "The reasons why this deal was initiated¹¹ by the President of the United States were based on the statement that he made shortly before that initiative was taken - that the United States wanted to assist India in achieving its global vision of emerging as a major economic power in the world."

The ambassador says he would like to meet with the leader of India's communist party to ease the concerns of the left. The leader of the Marxist wing of the Indian Communist Party, Prakash Karat, has threatened to topple the government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh if the deal is concluded.

Mr. Singh's coalition¹² government has endorsed¹³ the agreement. But in recent months it has moved slowly in getting the needed clearances¹⁴ from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group required before the U.S. Congress can give final approval.

Indian officials say four rounds of talks with the IAEA have made progress, and India will not be pressured by any time frames or deadlines set by either domestic opponents or other governments.

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 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

3 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

4 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

7 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

8 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 infringe   

v.违反，触犯，侵害

参考例句：

• The jury ruled that he had infringed no rules.陪审团裁决他没有违反任何规定。
• He occasionally infringe the law by parking near a junction.他因偶尔将车停放在交叉口附近而违反规定。

11 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

12 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

13 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 clearances   

清除( clearance的名词复数 )； 许可； （录用或准许接触机密以前的）审查许可； 净空

参考例句：

• But I can't get to him without clearances. 但是没有证明我就没法见到他。
• The bridge and the top of the bus was only ten clearances. 桥与公共汽车车顶之间的间隙只有十厘米。