VOA标准英语2008年-President Bush Urges Iran to Reconsider Nuclear

By Paula Wolfson
Paris
14 June 2008

U.S. President George Bush is calling on Iran's leaders to drop their objections to a modified package of incentives¹ put forward by the five UN permanent Security Council members plus Germany. From Paris, VOA White House correspondent Paula Wolfson reports the dispute over Iran's nuclear program and other Mideast issues dominated the agenda when Mr. Bush met with French President Nicholas Sarkozy.
　

US President George Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris

The president is touring Europe in an effort to win even more support for U.S. policies on the Middle East.

He is urging unity² on Iran, where a government spokesman has rejected the set of incentives delivered to Tehran by the European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana. The spokesman says Iran will not suspend uranium enrichment.

President Bush says he is disappointed. "It's an indication to the Iranian people that their leadership is willing to isolate³ them further," said Mr. Bush, "and our view is we want the Iranian people to flourish."

Iran was one of many international issues that dominated Mr. Bush's talks with French President Nicholas Sarkozy.

At a joint⁴ press conference in Paris, both leaders expressed their strong support for Lebanese sovereignty. Mr. Bush also called on Syria to not only stop its interference in Lebanon's affairs, but to rethink ties between Damascus and Tehran. "My message would be stop fooling around with the Iranians and stop harboring terrorists," he said.

Mr. Bush was also asked about the prospect⁵ for a U.S. security agreement with Iraq, which would provide a legal basis for American troops to remain after the current U.N. mandate⁶ expires. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says negotiations⁷ are deadlocked⁸.

The president said he remains⁹ hopeful. "If I was a betting man, [I would say] we will reach an agreement with the Iraqis," he added.

The Iraq war created tensions between the United States and France which have eased since Nicholas Sarkozy became French president last year. He says both the American and French governments are known for their strong opinions, but they have realized they can listen and learn from each other.

"We can talk very frankly¹⁰ when we have points of disagreement," said Mr. Sarkozy, "but we have to do so as allies and as friends."

Later in the day, President Bush paid tribute to American and French troops killed in the line of battle.

His schedule included a trip to a U.S. military cemetery¹¹, and a French monument to the resistance fighters of World War II.

1 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

3 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

4 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

5 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

6 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

11 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。