2006年VOA标准英语-IAEA Board Rejects Iran Bid for Assistance in B

By Marlene Smith
Vienna
23 November 2006

The International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors has rejected Iran's request for assistance in building a heavy water reactor¹ as part of its controversial nuclear program. For VOA, Marlene Smith reports from Vienna the U.S. ambassador to the IAEA welcomed the unanimous decision, saying Iran is more isolated² than ever before.

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IAEA's Director General Mohamed ElBaradei talks to Iran's ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, prior to meeting 
The IAEA board of governors has approved the Technical Cooperation Program for next year with one exception: Iran's request for aid in building a heavy water reactor at Arak.

Gregory Schulte, U.S. ambassador to the IAEA, told VOA the Arak project was not deferred³ or postponed⁴ but removed from the IAEA's agenda and will not come up for at least another two years.

"The reason for this denial is because the board of governors is seriously concerned about the nature of Iran's program and the intentions of its leadership," he said.

The ambassador said no one believes Iran's claim that the reactor is for medical purposes.

"In fact this is a heavy water reactor that is very well suited to produce plutonium that is used in nuclear weapons," he said.

The ambassador stressed that the board approved other projects for peaceful purposes including those in Iran but the Arak project is a cause for concern in the light of unresolved questions on the true nature of Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"There is strong unity⁵ between the U.S. and Europe and Russia and China and other like-minded countries that this was just an inappropriate use of technical cooperation," he said.

 
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, center, during inauguration⁶ ceremony of heavy-water production plant in Arak, Aug. 26, 2006
 
The IAEA says it cannot give assurances to the international community that Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Iran says it is cooperating with the IAEA beyond its legal obligations, and adds it was supported at the board meeting by Cuba speaking for the non-aligned countries.

The U.N. Security Council is considering sanctions against the Islamic Republic because Teheran insists on enriching uranium in defiance⁷ of IAEA resolutions.

The United States is the largest contributor to the Technical Assistance Program.

1 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

2 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

3 deferred   

adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从

参考例句：

• The department deferred the decision for six months. 这个部门推迟了六个月才作决定。
• a tax-deferred savings plan 延税储蓄计划

4 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

5 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。

6 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

7 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。