VOA常速英语2007-Indian Prime Minister Doubtful About US Nuclear

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
16 October 2007

India's Prime Minister has told President Bush that his government is facing problems finalizing¹ a controversial civilian² nuclear-energy agreement with the United States. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the government appears to be backtracking from its commitment to the deal because of objections from its political allies.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says "certain difficulties" have arisen in implementing³ a civilian nuclear-energy deal signed with Washington this August.

An Indian government statement says Mr. Singh spoke⁴ to President Bush by telephone from Nigeria on Monday.

 

The Indian prime minister voiced his doubts to the U.S. president days after he said in New Delhi that "it is not the end of life" if the deal does not go through. He said he would be disappointed, but his is not a one-issue government.

Mr. Singh's statements mark a sharp turnaround from his earlier firm commitment to the nuclear deal.

Political analysts⁶ say the government is stepping back from a confrontation⁷ with its communist allies, which are crucial to the survival of the government. The communists have threatened to withdraw support if Mr. Singh's coalition⁸ presses ahead with the accord.

An independent political analyst⁵ in New Delhi, Mahesh Rangarajan, says Mr. Singh clearly no longer wants to stake the survival of his government on the issue of the nuclear deal.

"There is no question, there is a rethinking on the part of the prime minister, the government, the ruling coalition. It prefers to remain in office until the general elections are due in middle of 2009," said Rangarajan. "So, the prime minister has no doubt revised his views on the urgency and the immediacy of the Indo-U.S. nuclear agreement."

The accord holds the promise of giving India access to civilian technology it was long denied because it has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and has tested nuclear weapons.

 

But a series of steps is needed to make the deal operational. India must negotiate separate agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency and other bodies, Nuclear Suppliers Group. Then, the accord must get final approval from U.S. lawmakers. Officials on both sides had hoped the deal would go through before the United States heads into a presidential election year in 2008.

 

But political analyst Rangarajan says it appears unlikely the nuclear deal will be finalized⁹ any time soon.

 

"I think, at the moment, it goes to sleep," added Rangarajan. "It will be difficult until there is a larger, domestic political consensus¹⁰ in India to move toward the next stage, and in the lifetime of this government, it is unlikely that that will happen."

 

The deal was conceived by officials in India and the United States as a way to bring New Delhi - a nuclear-weapons state - into the mainstream¹¹ of nuclear commerce. It has been called "landmark¹²", "historic," and had been touted¹³ as a sign of warming relations between the two countries. But, communist parties that support India's governing coalition fear it could bring New Delhi too close to Washington.

1 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网

2 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。

3 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

7 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

9 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

11 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

12 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

13 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句