2007年VOA标准英语-US Negotiator Urges North Korea to Start Shutti

By Daniel Schearf
Beijing
11 April 2007

Christopher Hill (file photo)

The U.S. envoy¹ to six-nation talks has urged North Korea to begin shutting down its nuclear facilities after Pyongyang indicated it wants a Saturday deadline on the shutdown extended by a month. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.

U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill said unfreezing North Korean bank accounts in Macau has paved the way for Pyongyang to begin shutting down its main nuclear reactor² in line with a February agreement.

North Korea has refused to start shutting down the reactor or to allow in U.N. nuclear inspectors³ until it has $25 million held in a Macau bank.

Macau authorities say the money now can be transferred to North Korea.

A U.S. delegation⁴ that just ended a trip to Pyongyang says North Korean officials pledged to invite international nuclear inspectors into the country the same day they have the funds.

But the delegation reports the North Koreans said they would not likely meet the April 14 deadline to shut down and wanted it extended by 30 days.

Hill is in Seoul for talks on North Korea. He says now is not the time to talk about changing deadlines, but for Pyongyang to begin meeting is obligations.

"You know, I do not want to get into extending the deadline at this point. Our issue is, we have welcomed this decision by Macau, we are expecting the North Koreans to do the same and to get going on its denuclearization," he said. "So let us see how we do. What is important is for the North Koreans to get back on denuclearization and off of this banking⁵ issue."

Many regional political analysts⁶ say the deadline is not so important since all six nations - North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the United States - are committed to the February deal.

Paul French, a Shanghai-based author and expert on North Korea, says the impoverished⁷ North Korea probably is eager not only to get the money, but also to get promised oil and other aid once it shuts down its nuclear programs.

"The nuclear weapons are a bargaining chip. Their bomb is for sale. What this government in Pyongyang is interested in is regime survival. And, regime survival means keeping the drip feed of energy aid and food aid going and of guaranteeing their sovereignty," said French. "It has never been about owning a bomb for the sake of a bomb. The bomb has always been a tradable commodity."

Macau froze the accounts in 2005 because of U.S. suspicions the bank holding the money was aiding North Korean counterfeiting⁸ and other illegal activities. The freeze prompted Pyongyang to boycott⁹ the nuclear talks for more than a year.

North Korea returned to talks in December on the condition the banking issue would be resolved.

Chinese Premier¹⁰ Wen Jiabao is in Japan where he is expected to discuss North Korea with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

And later this week, U.S. envoy Hill goes to Beijing for meetings on the issue.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

3 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

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 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 counterfeiting   

n.伪造v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was sent to prison for counterfeiting five-dollar bills. 他因伪造5美元的钞票被捕入狱。 来自辞典例句
• National bureau released securities, certificates with security anti-counterfeiting paper technical standards. 国家质量技术监督局发布了证券、证件用安全性防伪纸张技术标准。 来自互联网

9 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

10 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。