2006年VOA标准英语-US Shifts Policy, Offers to Join Iran Nuclear T

By David Gollust
State Department
31 May 2006
 
View Rice statement on Iran (Real Video)

The Bush administration, on the eve of a critical meeting in Vienna, has offered to join nuclear talks with Iran if Tehran stops enriching uranium. President Bush said the move shows the United States is taking a leadership position in trying to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue diplomatically.

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The Bush administration had previously¹ let European allies Britain, France and Germany take the lead in the nuclear dialogue with Iran.

But in a major policy shift, the United States is now willing to take a direct role in the talks if Iran verifiably suspends uranium enrichment and reprocessing.

The announcement came on the eve of a meeting in Vienna Thursday of foreign ministers of the five permanent U.N. Security Council member countries and Germany, who are seeking final agreement on a package of incentives² to get Iran to halt sensitive nuclear activities and return to negotiations³.

The so-called carrots-and-sticks approach by the major powers would also include punitive⁴ steps starting with a Security Council resolution against Iran if it spurns⁵ the incentives.

The United States has been pressed by other participants in the diplomatic process to become directly involved, and Wednesday's decision could help expedite an agreement in Vienna.

 
Paul Kagame (l) with President  Bush in the White House 
  
President Bush, in a press appearance with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, said the move underlines the administration's determination to resolve the Iran nuclear issue by political means.

"I believe it is very important that we solve this issue diplomatically, and my decision today says the United States is going to take a leadership position in solving this issue," said President Bush. "And our message to the Iranians is that, one, you won't have a weapon, and two, that you must verifiably suspend any programs, at which point we will come to the negotiating table and work on a way forward."

The United States has had no diplomatic relations and few official contacts with Iran since 1979. 

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gestures during a news conference discussing the nuclear standoff with Iran, Wednesday, May 31, 2006  
  
At a news conference, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made clear the U.S. administration is not ready to talk about resuming diplomatic ties given what she said were the many fundamental differences it has with the Iranian government.

She also said the policy change should not been seen as conferring legitimacy⁶ on what she said is an Iranian regime that denies its people political rights and supports terrorism around the world.

"The only thing that is being provided legitimacy here is the international community's consensus⁷ that Iran must suspend its current enrichment and reprocessing activity, return to serious negotiations, find a civil nuclear program that does not have proliferation risks associated with the fuel cycle, and negotiate in good faith," said Condoleezza Rice. "That's what's being provided legitimacy."

Under questioning, the Secretary again said the United States does not rule out a military option in dealing⁸ with what U.S. officials believe is a covert⁹ Iranian nuclear weapons program, but said it is committed to diplomacy¹⁰ and that many diplomatic options remain.

The U.S. policy move was welcomed by European allies and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed elBaradei, among others.

The Iranian government had no immediate¹¹ comment on the offer though one Tehran spokesman was quoted as saying the U.S. condition for dialogue was not suitable.

Iran, which contends its nuclear program is entirely¹² peaceful, has said it has a right to a complete nuclear fuel cycle and will not return to a complete suspension of enrichment activity.

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 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

3 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。

4 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

5 spurns   

v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• NIV A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence. 5[和合]愚妄人藐视父亲的5管教；领受6责备的，得着见识。 来自互联网

6 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

7 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

10 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。