2006年VOA标准英语-Rice Urges Congress to Support US-India Nu

By David Gollust
State Department
05 April 2006

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went to Congress Wednesday to defend the Bush administration's nuclear accord with India, which she said is a "strategic achievement" that would strengthen nuclear non-proliferation efforts. She ran into skeptical¹ questioning from Democrats³ who said lenient⁴ U.S. treatment of India might encourage would-be nuclear weapons states.

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Condoleezza Rice testifies on Capitol Hill
  

The secretary's testimony⁵ before key congressional committees began a new, more intensive phase of the administration's effort to win approval for the India nuclear deal, which would allow India access to U.S. civilian⁶ nuclear technology in return for a pledge to open its non-military nuclear facilities to international inspections⁷.

The agreement, concluded a month ago during President Bush's visit to India, has drawn⁸ a mixed reaction in Congress, split largely down partisan⁹ lines.

Many Republicans welcome the accord as advancing a growing partnership¹⁰ with India.

Democrats are concerned that it may suggest a U.S. double standard, accepting India's status as a nuclear weapons power despite its refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, at the same time the administration is trying to curb¹¹ the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea.

Opening a day-long set of hearings with an appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary Rice said the agreement, requiring congressional amendment¹² of a 50-year-old non-proliferation law, is a strategic achievement that will cement the U.S. relationship with India, a rising global power.

She said it would strengthen the international non-proliferation regime by putting 65 percent of India's nuclear plants under international inspections, a share that will grow over the years as new power plants come on line.

She rejected suggestions it would fuel a nuclear arms race in South Asia, saying that is solely¹³ a function of the regional political and military situation. And she dismissed any parallel between India's nuclear program and those of Iran and North Korea.

"Iran and especially North Korea are of course closed, non-democratic societies," said Rice.  "India is a democracy. In fact, India is increasingly doing its part to support the international community's efforts to curb the dangerous nuclear ambitions of Iran. In sum, the U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation initiative is a strategic achievement. It's good for America. It's good for India, and it's good for the international community."

The ranking Democrat² on the Foreign Relations Committee, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, said he was inclined to support the agreement. But he also said the Bush administration is making a gamble that future Indian governments will live up to the terms of the agreement, and if they do not he suggested that the entire global framework for containing nuclear weapons development will be at risk.

"I respectfully suggest that if this goes through, and we are wrong about their intentions, they will have mortgaged the 21st century literally¹⁴ in a way that few nations will be held accountable for having done," said Biden.  "They will have squandered¹⁵, and I don't anticipate this, but they will have squandered what I think to be an opportunity to build a new century. I mean I literally think it is that fundamental."

Republican George Allen of Virginia, however, called the agreement a good bet on a partnership with the world's largest democracy.  He said it could help stabilize¹⁶ troubled world energy markets by giving India advanced nuclear power capacity at the same time helping¹⁷ improve the environment, given India's current dependence¹⁸ on high-sulfur coal.

But there was other criticism. Maryland Democrat Paul Sarbanes said the terms of the legislation would require Congress to cede¹⁹ excessive authority to the executive branch in monitoring Indian compliance²⁰.

California's Barbara Boxer²¹, a leading critic of administration foreign policy, joined House Democratic colleague Tom Lantos in raising concern about Indian military cooperation with Iran, including port calls in India this month by Iranian warships²².

Secretary Rice said Indian authorities had given assurances their country was not training Iranian military personnel and that their military contacts were low level. She also said India's recent vote in the International Atomic Energy Agency was a key in getting the issue of Iran's nuclear program referred to the U.N. Security Council.

1 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 lenient   

adj.宽大的，仁慈的

参考例句：

• The judge was lenient with him.法官对他很宽大。
• It's a question of finding the means between too lenient treatment and too severe punishment.问题是要找出处理过宽和处罚过严的折中办法。

5 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

9 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

10 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

11 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

12 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

13 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

14 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

15 squandered   

v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squandered all his money on gambling. 他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
• She felt as indignant as if her own money had been squandered. 她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。 来自飘（部分）

16 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

17 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。

18 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

19 cede   

v.割让，放弃

参考例句：

• The debater refused to cede the point to her opponent.辩论者拒绝向她的对手放弃其主张。
• Not because I'm proud.In fact,in front of you I cede all my pride.这不是因为骄傲，事实上我在你面前毫无骄傲可言。

20 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

21 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

22 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。