2007年VOA标准英语-French Minister's Comments On Iran Get Mixed Re

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
17 September 2007

The international community is offering a mixed reaction to French proposals that the European Union should impose its own economic sanctions on Iran, if it continues to pursue its nuclear program - and to prepare for war, if diplomacy¹ fails. Lisa Bryant has more from Paris.

Bernard Kouchner is seen talking on RTL radio show, 17 Sep 2007

The Netherlands backed remarks by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner for the European Union to impose its own sanctions against Tehran if it continued to pursue its nuclear agenda. But speaking alongside Kouchner at a press conference in Paris, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said the best option is to reinforce existing sanctions against Iran at the U.N. Security Council.

Kouchner stirred waves Sunday, not only with his EU sanctions proposal, but also by suggesting the international community should brace² for war against Iran as a last resort.

In remarks broadcast on France's RTL radio, Kouchner said that the world should prepare itself for the worst, when it came to dealing³ with Iran. When asked what that was, he replied: "It is war." But he also called for negotiations⁴ until the end.

Western governments are trying to prod⁵ Iran to abandon its nuclear program or face tougher U.N. sanctions. Tehran insists its program is for peaceful purposes.

Iran's state-owned IRNA news agency accused France of pandering⁶ to the United States by adopting a tougher tone. Mohamed El Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also said options other than the use of force are far from being exhausted⁷. And France's RFI radio reports that Austria's foreign minister also criticized Kouchner's comments.

On Friday, the six nations involved with the Iran nuclear issue - Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany, and the United States - are expected to discuss in Washington the possibility of new U.N. sanctions against Tehran. Meanwhile in France, the head of the Socialist⁸ Party has called for a debate on Iran in the French parliament.

1 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。

2 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

3 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。

4 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。

5 prod   

vt.戳，刺；刺激，激励

参考例句：

• The crisis will prod them to act.那个危机将刺激他们行动。
• I shall have to prod him to pay me what he owes.我将不得不催促他把欠我的钱还给我。

6 pandering   

v.迎合（他人的低级趣味或淫欲）( pander的现在分词 )；纵容某人；迁就某事物

参考例句：

• This magazine is criticized for pandering to the vulgar taste of some readers. 这家杂志因迎合某些读者的低级趣味而遭到批评。 来自辞典例句
• We're four points up there; we don't need to get hit for pandering. 我们在那儿领先四个百分点；我们不必为了迎合一些选民而遭受批评。 来自电影对白

7 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

8 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。