VOA标准英语2010年-EU: Iran Ready to Resume Nuclear Talks

The European Union says Iran has agreed to resume talks over its controversial nuclear program after November 10. The announcement was made by the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on the sidelines of a key European summit.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton spoke¹ to reporters briefly² in Brussels, where leaders from the 27-member block wrapped up a two-day summit.

"I just wanted to let you know that this morning I have had a letter delivered through the ambassador from Iran... to say that he welcomes the fact that I have been in touch with him and that he is agreeable to beginning discussions after the 10th of November and wants to agree [on] a time and a place," said Ashton.

Earlier this month, Ashton proposed a new round of talks with Iran on its nuclear program in Vienna. This followed reports that Iran's top nuclear negotiator was interested in meeting with Ashton on behalf of a six-nation group - the U.S., Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany.

"I think this is a very significant move and we're not in touch with Iran this morning to see if we can agree [on] the time and the place as quickly as possible," added Ashton.

Iran and the international community have been at loggerheads over Tehran's nuclear program. Negotiations³ have stalled since October, 2009. Iran insists its nuclear program is for purely⁴ peaceful purposes. But many nations fear Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon.

Iran's new overture⁵ comes a day after the White House warned that Tehran's continued enrichment of uranium would mean that the international community would, in turn, be tougher in its future dealings with the Middle East nation.
 

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

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 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

5 overture   

n.前奏曲、序曲，提议，提案，初步交涉

参考例句：

• The opera was preceded by a short overture.这部歌剧开始前有一段简短的序曲。
• His overture led to nothing.他的提议没有得到什么结果。