2007年VOA标准英语-Australia Lifts Ban on Uranium Sales to India

By Phil Mercer
Sydney
15 August 2007

Australia has ended its ban on uranium sales to India. The country has so far refused to sell the nuclear fuel to countries that have not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has convinced his Cabinet colleagues that a uranium deal with India is in Australia's interest. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.

The decision to sell nuclear fuel to India was made by the National Security Committee in Canberra.

Australia feels it is now able to sell to India following a landmark¹ deal last month between New Delhi and the United States.

That agreement allows the Indians to buy civilian² nuclear technology and fuel from the U.S. while still possessing nuclear weapons. This makes India an exception under the Non-Proliferation Treaty - or NPT, as it is also known.

Australia has previously³ sold uranium only to countries that have signed the NPT.

Under the proposed agreement, Australian nuclear inspectors⁴ would be allowed to check that the uranium is used only for peaceful purposes, and not diverted for India's nuclear weapons programs.

Forum5 in Manila, Philippines, 2 Aug. 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070817/1557330.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer gestures as he answers questions from reporters during the 14th ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila, Philippines, 2 Aug. 2007

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says any export of uranium to India would also be closely monitored by the United Nations nuclear agency.

"We would first of all have to negotiate a nuclear safeguards agreement with India, and under that agreement, any uranium that would be exported to India would have to be subject to International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring, and so would the nuclear power plants that the uranium was used for," he said.

Downer says he does not believe the sale of uranium will provoke tension between India and its neighbor, Pakistan.

Australia argues that any plan to bring India's civilian nuclear program under the auspices⁶ of U.N. inspections⁷ can only enhance peace on the sub-continent.

Australia has the world's largest known reserves of uranium. It has been under pressure to sell the nuclear fuel to India since agreeing last year to supply it to China, which has signed the non-proliferation treaty.

Both India and China already have nuclear weapons, and say they want Australian uranium only for peaceful purposes - to supply nuclear power stations to meet the soaring energy demand from their booming economies.

But some defense⁸ analysts⁹ have argued Australia's decision could have a destabilizing effect.

The plan to export to India could be abandoned altogether if the opposition¹⁰ Labor¹¹ Party wins this year's general election.

Labor - which is well ahead in the opinion polls - says it would be impossible to lock in safeguards to prevent New Delhi from using Australian uranium for military purposes.

1 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。

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 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 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》

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 auspices   

n.资助，赞助

参考例句：

• The association is under the auspices of Word Bank.这个组织是在世界银行的赞助下办的。
• The examination was held under the auspices of the government.这次考试是由政府主办的。

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 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 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。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。