2006年VOA标准英语-UN Tells Iran to Stop Uranium Enrichment Progra

By Andre de Nesnera
Washington
31 July 2006

United Nations Security Council (File photo)   
  
The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution demanding that Iran suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, a process that could be used either for military or civilian¹ purposes.

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The resolution, adopted by a 14 to one vote, also calls on the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or I.A.E.A., to report to the Security Council by August 31 whether Iran has complied with the resolution. If not, the U.N. text says the Security Council could adopt 'appropriate measures', diplomatic parlance² for economic or political sanctions.

John Bolton, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, expressed satisfaction with the Council vote. "We are pleased the council has taken clear and firm action in passing this resolution. The pursuit of nuclear weapons by Iran constitutes a direct threat to international peace and security and demands a clear statement from the Council in the form of a binding³ resolution," he said.

Tehran has consistently stated that its nuclear program is only for civilian and peaceful purposes,a view repeated to the Security Council by Iran's U.N. ambassador Javad Zarif. "Iran's peaceful nuclear program poses no threat to the international peace and security,and therefore, dealing⁴ with this issue in the Security Council is unwarranted and void of any legal basis or practical utility," he said.

Experts are divided as to exactly when Iran will be able to get the scientific knowledge to build nuclear bombs. Estimates vary between four to 10 years. But experts agree that Tehran is approaching the point where it can produce, on a large scale,enriched uranium.

For years, the International Atomic Energy Agency has been warning Iran to end its plans to enrich uranium,but to no avail.

Britain's Ambassador to the United Nations, Emyr Jones-Parry, told the Security Council he is deeply concerned about Iran's failure to cooperate fully⁵ with the I.A.E.A. "As today's resolution notes, after more than three years, the agency is still unable to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran. Important questions, including on activities with the possible military nuclear dimension, remain unanswered. The international community has shown great patience. We have given Iran many opportunities to show that it has no intention to develop nuclear weapons. Regrettably, Iran has not taken the steps required by the I.A.E.A. Board and the Security Council which would help build confidence," he said.

Jones-Parry urged Iran to comply with the U.N. resolution in order to avoid further action from the Security Council.

Qatar was the only member of the Security Council to vote against the U.N. resolution. Speaking through an interpreter, Qatar's U.N. Ambassador,Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser,said this was not the time to present such a text. "The fact that this draft resolution was tabled at this critical time,this hardly serves the stability of the region, nor the unity⁶ of the council. This will only intensify⁷ the conflagration⁸ in our region,whether we like it or not. Do we really want to see another volcano erupting in the region?," he said.

The Security Council must now wait until the end of August to see if Tehran complies with the U.N. demands.

1 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。

2 parlance   

n.说法；语调

参考例句：

• The term "meta directory" came into industry parlance two years ago.两年前，商业界开始用“元目录”这个术语。
• The phrase is common diplomatic parlance for spying.这种说法是指代间谍行为的常用外交辞令。

3 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 intensify   

vt.加强；变强；加剧

参考例句：

• We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
• They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻，保卫我国的领空。

8 conflagration   

n.建筑物或森林大火

参考例句：

• A conflagration in 1947 reduced 90 percent of the houses to ashes.1947年的一场大火，使90%的房屋化为灰烬。
• The light of that conflagration will fade away.这熊熊烈火会渐渐熄灭。