VOA标准英语2009年-Japanese, South Korean Envoys Meet Ahead of Ant

South Koreans and Japanese envoys² to the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program have met in Tokyo. The negotiations³ remain deadlocked⁵ and North Korea is expected to test-fire a long-range missile in the coming weeks.
　
Stephen Bosworth, left, US special envoy¹ is greeted by his Japanese counterpart Akitaka Saiki in Tokyo (File)

North Korea says that it will send a communications satellite into orbit between April 4-8. However, both Seoul and Tokyo suspect the launch is actually to test-fire a long-range missile.

Monday, South Korea's top envoy to the six-party talks, Wi Sung-lak, arrived in Japan to meet with his counterpart, Akitaka Saiki. Both men are urging North Korea to scrap⁶ its launch plan and intend to take the issue to the United Nations Security Council, if any type of rocket is fired.

But, Narushige Michishita, an assistant professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, says there may not be much international support, depending on what North Korea actually launches.

"If it's a missile, then its going to be obviously a violation⁷ of U.N. Security Council resolutions," said Michishita. But if it's a satellite, nations would disagree if it amounts to a violation of Security Council resolutions."

Tokyo maintains that it has the right to shoot down whatever North Korea fires, if it strays into their territory. However, Michishita is not sure if the Japanese military is capable of intercepting⁸ such a rocket.

Pyongyang says it will consider any attempts to down its missile as an act or war.

Many analysts⁹ believe this launch, as well as the deadlock⁴ in the six-party talks, is a means for North Korea to procure¹⁰ more concessions¹¹.

Japan, for its part, refuses to participate in energy assistance promised to Pyongyang, until a decades-long kidnapping dispute is resolved.

Michishita says it really does not matter what Tokyo does or does not do in the talks, because North Korea only wants to engage Washington.

"Obviously, North Koreans are trying to move ahead with the Americans first," said Michishita. "If they successfully move forward or make progress with the U.S., they will be able to then say, look Japan, look South Korea, would you like to fall behind. By doing so, they will be able to create a situation where they have a better bargaining chip or be in a better negotiating position."

Earlier this month, Washington's special envoy to North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, visited Japan, South Korea and China, but was not invited by the North Koreans to hold talks in Pyongyang.

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 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

3 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。

4 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

5 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。

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 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

8 intercepting   

截取（技术），截接

参考例句：

• The police had been intercepting my mail, ie reading it before it was delivered. 警方一直截查我的邮件。
• We've been intercepting radio transmissions from Moscow. 我们已从莫斯科拦截到无线电信号。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

10 procure   

vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条

参考例句：

• Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
• I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

11 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。