VOA标准英语2008年-US Pledges to Uphold Its End of India Nuclear D

The Bush administration Thursday stressed its determination to fulfill¹ its side of the landmark² U.S.-India nuclear agreement after the government of Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh said it is ready to risk a confidence vote to get the deal through parliament in New Delhi. Time may be running out for U.S. Congressional approval this year. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　
President Bush (right) and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at G8 summit, 8 Jul 2008

The Bush administration is welcoming the apparent end of the parliamentary impasse³ in India on the nuclear deal, though it is not predicting outright⁴ that U.S. Congressional approval can be obtained before the end of President Bush's term.

Opposition⁵ from leftwing factions⁶ in the Indian coalition⁷ government have stalled parliamentary action on the nuclear package for many months. Prime Minister Singh, after bargaining with minor⁸ parties, said Thursday he is ready to push for action despite the risk of losing a confidence vote.

At the same time, the Indian government has submitted a draft nuclear safeguards agreement to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, where approval by the U.N. agency's governing board is needed for the deal to move forward.

The nuclear accord reached by President Bush and Prime Minister Singh in 2005 would give New Delhi access to U.S. nuclear technology, while opening non-military Indian nuclear sites to international inspections⁹.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the accord at a meeting Wednesday on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in Japan.

At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack welcomed the new developments as a significant step forward for the U.S.-Indian relationship, the Indian nuclear program, and the international non-proliferation regime.

Though acknowledging that time is short for getting final approval in the U.S. Congress, McCormack said the administration is prepared to do all it can to achieve that:

"Of course we're interested in seeing this agreement move forward, but we also made clear that there were certain decisions that the Indian government needed to make. They have apparently¹⁰ made those decisions and we as a result are fully¹¹ committed to doing everything that we can to fulfill our end of this agreement," he said.

Before the U.S. Congress can act, the agreement must be cleared by both the IAEA and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which governs trade in reactors¹² and nuclear fuel.

Speedy action by the IAEA is considered likely but the matter may face some obstacles in the Suppliers Group.

Enabling action in the U.S. Congress, meanwhile is threatened both by resistance from some Democrats¹³, who accuse the Bush the administration of diluting¹⁴ U.S. non-proliferation policy, and the political timetable.

Legislative¹⁵ rules require that Congress be in session for 30 work days to consider the package and there are less than 40 work days available before the planned September 26th adjournment¹⁶.

Democratic leaders have said they oppose re-convening Congress for a so-called "lame¹⁷ duck" session after the November election, partly because Democrats anticipate election gains and do not want the current Congress to be extended.

U.S. proponents¹⁸ of the deal warn that if Congress fails to act this year, India can turn to other suppliers and the U.S. nuclear industry could potentially lose billions of dollars in business.

　

 

1 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

2 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

3 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

4 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

5 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。

6 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

7 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。

8 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

9 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

11 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

12 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

13 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 diluting   

稀释，冲淡( dilute的现在分词 )； 削弱，使降低效果

参考例句：

• A companion would have been a distraction, diluting the pathos of the moment. 要是有一个伴侣在旁就会分散我的注意，冲淡此时此刻的哀婉之情。
• Diluting agent has certain transparency for ink multi-color overprint. 冲淡剂具有必定的透明量，适分油不朱的众色叠印。

15 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

16 adjournment   

休会； 延期； 休会期； 休庭期

参考例句：

• The adjournment of the case lasted for two weeks. 该案休庭期为两周。
• The solicitor moved for an adjournment of the case. 律师请求将这个案件的诉讼延期。

17 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

18 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句