VOA标准英语10月-US Envoy Hopes 'Conversation' in N. Korea Will Sa

Washington's main envoy¹ in talks aimed at getting rid of North Korea's nuclear weapons is in South Korea. He plans to visit Pyongyang to discuss the North's recent steps toward resuming activity at its main nuclear facility. Meanwhile, Japan has renewed sanctions against the North, for failure to fulfill² its disarmament promises. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin reports.
　

U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill talks to reporters upon his arrival at the Incheon International airport west of Seoul, 30 Sep 2008

Soon after landing at South Korea's Incheon Airport, Tuesday, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill confirmed he will be heading to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, Wednesday. He says his main agenda is getting an agreement to ensure the nuclear declaration North Korea made earlier this year is accurate.

"We need to make sure that we are going to be able to verify their declaration," said Hill. "So let's see if we can come up with measures that will allow us to verify their declaration."

North Korea issued a declaration its nuclear activities as part of a broader six-nation deal reached last year, that gradually rewards the North for steps toward getting rid of its nuclear weapons. Senior American and South Korean officials say, at the time, North Korea made a clear verbal agreement to agree on a mechanism³ for confirming the accuracy of its declaration. For example, verification steps might include random⁴ access by inspectors⁵ to suspected nuclear sites.

Washington cited North Korea's delay on arranging verification for its decision to delay the North's removal from a State Department list of nations suspected of sponsoring terrorism. In response, North Korea ejected international inspectors and their surveillance equipment from its main nuclear reprocessing facility at Yongbyon. Pyongyang vowed⁶ to resume activity there by the end of this week.

Hill says he knows North Korea has concerns about verification and says he wants to discuss them calmly.

"I know they are reluctant," he said. "Let's see what they say. Let's sit down and have a conversation and see if we can resolve this matter."

In Tokyo Tuesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said Japan has no choice but to extend its sanctions against North Korea.

He says North Korea has stopped dismantling⁷ its nuclear facilities and is, instead, restarting them. He says Pyongyang has also failed to investigate the past abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents, as it had promised to do.

Japan imposed sanctions against North Korea after it tested a nuclear weapon in 2006. They prohibit trade with North Korea and the docking of North Korean ships in Japan. The sanctions would have expired next month, but, instead, will continue for another six months.

1 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。

2 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

5 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 dismantling   

（枪支）分解

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。
• The dismantling of a nuclear reprocessing plant caused a leak of radioactivity yesterday. 昨天拆除核后处理工厂引起了放射物泄漏。