VOA标准英语2008年-Former US Ambassador Hails End of India's Nucle

A veteran American figure in the U.S.-India relationship is predicting the civil nuclear agreement between the two countries will quickly open the door to closer trade ties, but he warns that talk of a strategic alliance is premature¹. VOA correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.
　
Former US Ambassador to India Frank Wisner

Frank Wisner, a former U.S. ambassador to India, told business leaders and diplomats³ here Friday he expects a quick, sharp debate in Congress on the civil nuclear deal between Washington and New Delhi.

He said U.S. lawmakers are anxious to settle business so they can campaign for re-election. He said they also face a deadline to deal with the issue before Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits the White House in less than two weeks.

"So we only have days, not weeks or months which I would have obviously preferred," Wisner said.

President Bush on Thursday sent the text of the proposed agreement to Congress, calling it a priority for his administration.

Appearing with the veteran U.S. diplomat², a long-time leader of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Tarun Das, said his compatriots should realize the significance of what Mr. Bush has done for India.
　
Cll Chief Mentor⁴ Tarun Das

"Yesterday's action by the president of the United States, I think, is amazing and quite unprecedented⁵. We need to recognize that," Das said.

The agreement gives India access to American technology and atomic materials. India, however, must open some of its nuclear facilities to international inspection⁶.

Former ambassador Wisner says while the deal will expand India's ability to generate badly-needed atomic power, in no way will the United States support India's controversial nuclear weapons program.

"We never said we would provide technology that would contribute to weapons development," Wisner noted⁷. "That kind of technology was off the table. Where we thought we could make a difference where you needed us was to help get doors open and provide trade that would develop a nuclear power industry. Well, darn it, that's what exactly we intend to do."

Anger in Washington and elsewhere about India's atomic weapons tests in 1974 and 1998 compelled the international community to isolate⁸ the country from civil nuclear trade for many years.

The multinational⁹ Nuclear Suppliers Group, which governs international nuclear material commerce, ended the 34-year embargo¹⁰ on India last week, following pressure from Washington.

Wisner, now vice¹¹ chairman of the financial services conglomerate¹² American International Group, says the United States and India were at "real loggerheads" amid sanctions, threats and defiance¹³ when he was ambassador in the mid-1990s.

But Wisner says even with the United States helping¹⁴ to clear the way for India to enter into global civil nuclear trade - despite it not signing international non-proliferation agreements - it is premature to refer to New Delhi as Washington's "natural ally" or "strategic partner."

"I think what we really want to do is fix our minds on the fact that building this relationship is going to take 10, 15 years and the accomplishment¹⁵ of real tasks," he said. "And then we can sit back and have the luxury of talking about natural alliances."

Many Indians, especially those on the political left, oppose closer U.S-India ties for their traditionally non-aligned nation.

Prime Minister Singh has insisted that the nuclear agreement with the United States does not infringe¹⁶ on India's sovereignty. Some in the leading opposition¹⁷ party, the BJP, have said they will push for re-negotiation of the pact¹⁸ if they return to power. They believe Washington would stop supplying India with atomic fuel and technology for its power plants if India were to conduct another nuclear weapons test.

 

1 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

2 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

3 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》

4 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

5 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

6 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 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。

9 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

10 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

11 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

12 conglomerate   

n.综合商社，多元化集团公司

参考例句：

• The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。
• An American conglomerate holds a major share in the company.一家美国的大联合企业持有该公司的大部分股份。

13 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

14 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

15 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

16 infringe   

v.违反，触犯，侵害

参考例句：

• The jury ruled that he had infringed no rules.陪审团裁决他没有违反任何规定。
• He occasionally infringe the law by parking near a junction.他因偶尔将车停放在交叉口附近而违反规定。

17 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

18 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。