VOA标准英语 Russian Official Visits North Korea in Attempt to Br

Russia's top diplomat¹ says he is paying a visit to North Korea, in hopes of easing the North's resistance to talking to its neighbors. The North has pulled out of nuclear weapons talks and continues to detain South Korean and American nationals on political charges.
　
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, left, shakes hands with North Korean Vice² Foreign Minister Kung Sok Ung upon arrival in Pyongyang, 23 Apr 2009

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned other countries not to expect any breakthroughs from his visit to the North Korean capital.

Removing obstacles

In Pyongyang he met with North Korean officials to discuss removing the latest obstacles to talks on ending the North's nuclear weapons programs.

Earlier this month, North Korea announced it was pulling out of the talks process, which it described as "useless," after the United Nations condemned³ its launch of a long-range rocket.

Next stop, South Korea

South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan is to greet Lavrov in Seoul, Friday, after he departs Pyongyang.

Yu said North Korea should not make the situation any worse and that, if North Korea carries through on threats to restart its main nuclear facilities, the United Nations will seek additional punishment.

Nuclear inspectors⁴ expelled

North Korea ejected international nuclear inspectors from the country, last week, and vowed⁵ to strengthen what it calls its "nuclear deterrent⁶." It has warned South Korea not to follow through on its intentions to join an American-led campaign aimed at stopping weapons trafficking. Pyongyang says joining the program would be seen as an "act of war."

For more than three weeks, North Korea has detained a South Korean executive apparently⁷ accused of speaking disrespectfully of the North's leadership and encouraging a North Korean woman to defect. North Korea is also holding two American journalists, who it says trespassed⁸ across the border with China. Analysts⁹ believe the North may use both cases for political leverage¹⁰ with the respective countries.

1 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。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

4 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

6 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

7 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。

8 trespassed   

（trespass的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Here is the ringleader of the gang that trespassed on your grounds. 这就是侵犯你土地的那伙人的头子。
• He trespassed against the traffic regulations. 他违反了交通规则。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

10 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。