South Korea's newly appointed foreign minister is warning talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons capabilities could stall over unresolved issues related to the North's promised declaration. However, officials in Seoul are optimistic a one-on-one meeting this week between North Korean and American negotiators may produce progress.
韩国新任外交与通商部长官警告说，去除北韩核武器功能的会谈可能会因为北韩申报的有关问题没有解决而停滞。不过，韩国政府官员对北韩与美国谈判人员本星期单独会晤可能取代进展感到乐观。
In his first media briefing since taking office, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan expressed concern about the future of the North Korea nuclear talks.
韩国外交与通商部长官柳明桓在就职后举行的首次记者会上对北韩核谈判的前景表示担忧。
He says he is concerned the six-nation talks may lose "momentum."
他说，他担心六方会谈可能会失去前进势头。
For five years, South Korea has worked with the United States, Japan, China and Russia to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear programs, in exchange for financial and energy aid along with diplomatic incentives.
韩国5年来与美国、日本、中国与俄罗斯合作，试图说服北韩放弃核计划。
The six-nation diplomacy has produced progress in shutting down the North's main plutonium-producing facilities. However, Pyongyang has failed to produce a complete declaration of its nuclear activities and stockpiles it promised to submit by the end of 2007.
然而平壤方面没有兑现承诺，在2007年底前彻底申报核活动与核库存。
Yu said Wednesday the delay is because of two basic obstacles.
柳明桓星期三说，拖延是因为两个基本障碍。
He says there are roadblocks over accusations North Korea maintained a uranium enrichment program and engaged in nuclear cooperation with Syria.
包括在北韩被控拥有浓缩铀计划以及与叙利亚进行核合作的问题上还存在障碍。
North Korea has never publicly admitted having a uranium enrichment program, but the United States says it has abundant evidence such a program exists. Washington also suspects North Korea may have lent assistance to a possible nuclear facility in Syria which Israeli warplanes bombed in September.
北韩从未公开承认拥有浓缩铀计划，但是美国说，有充分的证据显示北韩有浓缩铀计划。美国还怀疑北韩可能向叙利亚一个可能的核设施提供了援助，以色列军用飞机去年9月轰炸了这个设施。
Negotiators in the six-nation process are now pinning their hopes on a meeting scheduled Thursday in Geneva between U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and senior North Korean envoy Kim Kye Kwan. The diplomats are their respective countries' chief delegates to the multinational nuclear talks.
六方会谈的谈判人员现在都将希望寄托于美国助理国务卿希尔和北韩谈判代表金桂冠计划星期四在日内瓦进行的会谈。两人是六方会谈各自国家的主要代表。
A similar one-on-one meeting last year in Berlin helped the two countries resolve a financial dispute that was paralyzing the diplomatic process. It is unclear what specific proposals the two envoys will discuss. However, experts and some U.S. officials have suggested North Korea may seek to address Washington's concerns on the most sensitive issues in a document, separate from the formal nuclear declaration.
去年在柏林举行的一次类似的单独会谈帮助美国与北韩解决了一个让外交进程陷入瘫痪的金融争议。目前还不清楚希尔和金桂冠会讨论什么具体建议。然而，专家和美国一些官员都认为，北韩可能会寻求解决美国对一份文件中最敏感议题的担心，这份文件不同于正式的核申报。 |