2007年VOA标准英语-North Korea Nuclear Talks Begin to Focus on Fin

By Heda Bayron
Hong Kong
27 September 2007

Diplomats¹ have resumed talks on North Korea's nuclear programs in Beijing, hoping to finally agree on details of how to totally disable the country's nuclear facilities. VOA's Heda Bayron reports from our Asia News Center in Hong Kong.

The negotiators are hoping to map out the details of how North Korea can meet its declared intention to disclose and disable all of its nuclear facilities by the end of the year.

This week's discussions are expected to focus on two points. The first is how Pyongyang would verifiably and completely disable its Yongbyon nuclear reactor², which is currently closed down. The second is to set a timetable for the disclosure of all of the North's nuclear activities.

The nuclear talks began Thursday with the North Korean envoy³, Kim Kye Kwan, indicating that his country is ready to make progress on the issues.

The chief U.S. envoy to the talks, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Christopher Hill, says that in general, Washington and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK, are "on the same wavelength⁴." But he told reporters there are still differences to overcome.

"We'd like to do more, the DPRK wants to do less," he said. "We'll figure out a way through that. This is not big gap."

Both Hill and Kim said earlier that this week's talks would be a critical stage in the four-year denuclearization effort.

The negotiations⁵ - which also involve China, Japan, South Korea and Russia - reached a breakthrough in February. Pyongyang agreed in principle to scrap⁶ its nuclear facilities in exchange for fuel oil, food, fertilizer, plus security and diplomatic incentives⁷.

That agreement came four months after the North conducted its first nuclear explosion.

1 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》

2 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。

3 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

4 wavelength   

n.波长

参考例句：

• The authorities were unable to jam this wavelength.当局无法干扰这一波长。
• Radio One has broadcast on this wavelength for years.广播1台已经用这个波长广播多年了。

5 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。

6 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

7 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