2006年VOA标准英语-Bush Hails Agreement On North Korea Talks

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
31 October 2006 

President Bush

President Bush has welcomed an agreement to resume multilateral talks on North Korea's nuclear program. Mr. Bush says China deserves credit for getting the negotiations¹ back on track.

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Roughly three weeks after it staged its first nuclear test, North Korea agreed to return to negotiations.

The surprise announcement was made in Beijing, where envoys² from North Korea, China and the United States had been holding unpublicized talks. In Washington, President Bush hailed the news. "I'm pleased, and I want to thank the Chinese for encouraging the meeting that got the agreement to get the six-party talks restarted," he said.

Mr. Bush acknowledged the path ahead will not be easy, and stressed there is plenty of work to do. But he left no doubt he considers the announcement to resume the six-party talks to be a major development. "I've always felt like it is important for the United States to be at the table with other partners when it comes time to addressing this important issue," he said.

During a brief session with reporters, Mr. Bush made no mention of concessions³ to North Korea, such as a possible roll-back of sanctions imposed after Pyongyang's October 9 nuclear test. Instead, he emphasized he will take steps to ensure the North Koreans live up to their international obligations.

"We'll be sending teams to the region to work with our partners to make sure that the current United Nations Security Council resolution is enforced, but also to make sure that the talks are effective; that we achieve the results we want, which is a North Korea that abandons their nuclear weapons programs, and her nuclear weapons, in a verifiable fashion inn return for a better way forward for her people," he said.

South Korea and Russia joined the United States and China in cheering the unexpected news of a resumption of the six-party talks with North Korea. But the response from the other participant in the talks, Japan, was somewhat muted.

While welcoming the outlook for a new round of negotiations, Japanese officials also voiced some skepticism, saying North Korea will not be allowed back to the talks if it still possesses nuclear weapons.

When asked about the statements from Tokyo, White House spokesman Tony Snow said all the participants to the six-party talks backed the agreement to resume negotiations. Snow said the diplomatic breakthrough shows that the president's multilateral approach to the North Korean problem is working. "What you got here with the North Koreans agreeing to return to the six-party talks is a vindication⁴ of the strategy the president has adopted. You notice who made the announcement: the Chinese," he said.

Snow said the agreement shows the only way to get results is through a multilateral effort, adding it is essential to bring in those who have the most leverage⁵ and influence over the North Koreans and their behavior.

1 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。

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 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。

4 vindication   

n.洗冤，证实

参考例句：

• There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。
• The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。

5 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。