2006年VOA标准英语-US Urges Iran to Consider Nuclear Offer

By Michael Bowman
Washington
02 June 2006
 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Iran should give careful consideration to an international package of incentives¹ for halting its uranium enrichment activities. Rice made the comments in Vienna, where she has been meeting with officials from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany.

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Secretary Rice says Iran has limited time to respond to the international package, urging a reply within weeks. But, while stressing the need for a timely response, Rice also seemed to warn against any knee-jerk negative reaction from Tehran. She spoke² on the U.S. television network CBS' "Early Show".

"We certainly hope that Iran will take a few days to think over a very serious proposal," she said. "It is a proposal that is not just an American proposal, but a proposal that the international community is offering Iran as a way out of this impasse³.

Secretary Rice said that the financial and technological⁴ incentives being offered have a flip-side: penalties that could be imposed, if Iran rejects the offer. Iranian officials have cautiously welcomed the prospect⁵ of direct U.S. involvement in stalled European-led talks over Iran's nuclear program, but the government in Tehran has not yet offered an official response to the international proposal.

Speaking on NBC's "Today" program, Rice said Iran has a choice to make.

"Iran now has two paths before it. One is a path that would give Iran considerable benefits, including civil nuclear power," she said. "The other, though, is a path that goes to the [U.N.] Security Council again, and can use the full weight of the Security Council to isolate⁶ Iran."

Secretary Rice has said that the impetus⁷ for achieving progress in nuclear negotiations⁸ now lies with Iran, and the decision it must make. But she denied that the international proposal constitutes an ultimatum⁹ to Tehran.

"There is not an ultimatum here," she said. "But there is a choice, and the international community needs to know if Iran intends to negotiate seriously."

Iran has long-maintained that its nuclear activities are purely¹⁰ peaceful, with the intent of generating power for a growing population. Earlier this year, Iran resumed its uranium enrichment program. Depending on the level of enrichment, uranium can be used to generate nuclear power - or to build an atomic weapon.

The Bush administration says it is prepared to join European-led talks with Iran, if Tehran agrees to suspend its enrichment program. European officials have welcomed direct U.S. involvement in negotiations, but Iran's initial reaction indicated it rejects the U.S. conditions. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Thursday his government welcomed dialogue with the United States, but would not give up its rights

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 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

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 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

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 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。

7 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。

8 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。

9 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

10 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。