2006年VOA标准英语-US, South Korea Call for Restart in Six-Party T

By Scott Stearns
White House
14 September 2006

President Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun say they are committed to resolving the nuclear stand-off with North Korea diplomatically. Mr. Bush says the United States wants security on the Korean peninsula.

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President Bush meets with S. Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in Oval Office of the White House, Sept. 14, 2006

President Bush says North Korean leader Kim Jung Il's refusal to return to six-party talks on the nuclear issue has only strengthened the determination of the United States, South Korea, Russia, China, and Japan to resolve the dispute peacefully.

Following Oval Office talks with the South Korean leader, Mr. Bush said there is clearly a better way forward for North Korea if it verifiably gives up nuclear weapons.

"The incentive¹ is for Kim Jung Il to understand there is a better way to improve the lives of his people than being isolated," he said. "That stability in the region is in his interest, the ultimate interests for the people of North Korea to be able to benefit and for families to be able to have food on the table."

President Roh says South Korea and the United States are consulting closely on ways to restart those six-party talks.

The two leaders have differed in their approach to the government in Pyongyang with President Bush pushing tougher sanctions and President Roh trying to engage the North Koreans with economic incentives².

President Roh this week acknowledged that difference in a speech to the U.S. Chamber³ of Commerce, saying he is "quite aware" of concerns about the state of bilateral⁴ relations.

At the White House, Mr. Roh was asked about concerns among South Korean voters that further U.S. sanctions could worsen the nuclear stand-off. He said it is not an appropriate time to talk about those possible sanctions as diplomats⁵ are working hard to restart talks.

Speaking through an interpreter, President Roh said South Korea is complying with trade restrictions⁶ imposed by a July U.N. Security Council resolution against Pyongyang following North Korean missile tests.

"Because we do not want to hurt the inter-Korean relations, we do not label these measures as sanctions, [but] we are in fact taking measure tantamount to sanctions after the North Korean missile launches," Mr. Roh said. "That is we have suspended rice and fertilizer aide to North Korea."

President Bush and President Roh also discussed the long-sought transfer of wartime command from the American to the South Korean military. There are currently about 30,000 U.S. troops in the country who still officially control South Korean defenses as there is no formal peace treaty ending the Korean War.

President Bush says he and President Roh agreed that transfer should not be politicized and they will continue to consult on an appropriate hand-over date.

"Decisions about the placement of our troops and the size of our troops will be made in consultation⁷ with the South Korean government," he said.

President Bush also thanked the South Korean leader for sending 3,000 troops to Iraq.  

1 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

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 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

5 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。