VOA标准英语2008年-Rice Hopes For Iranian Change of Course on Nucl

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she hopes Saturday's critical meeting with Iran's nuclear negotiator in Geneva will mark a change of course for Tehran in its nuclear dispute with the international community. Rice is sending a senior envoy¹ to take part in the talks. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns

The dispatch of Undersecretary of State William Burns to the Geneva meeting is a policy shift for the Bush administration, which had shunned² direct contacts with Tehran on the nuclear issue in the absence of an Iranian commitment to stop uranium enrichment.

At a State Department news conference with Kosovo political leaders, Rice said she hopes the U.S. gesture will encourage Iran to accept international incentives³ and halt its pursuit of technology that could lead to a nuclear weapon:

"We have been very clear that any country can change course," Rice said. "The United States doesn't have any permanent enemies, and we hope that the signal that we're sending that we fully⁴ support the track that Iran could take for a better relationship with the international community is one that the United States stands fully behind. We will see what happens on Saturday but that is the message that Bill Burns will be delivering."

Burns, the third-ranking State department official, will join European Union chief diplomat⁵ Javier Solana and diplomats⁶ from the other permanent U.N. Security Council member countries and Germany, the P-Five-Plus-One, in the meeting with Iranian envoy Saeed Jalili.

Iran is expected to give its reply to an enhanced package of incentives offered by the P-Five-Plus-One in June to try to persuade Tehran to stop its enrichment drive and return to negotiations⁷ over its nuclear program.

A suspension of enrichment would mean a suspension of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran. Solana has also proposed a six-week period of so-called "pre-negotiations" in which there would be no new sanctions added if Iran stopped adding to its enrichment capacity.
　
Condoleezza Rice delivers remarks at the State Department

In her comments here, Rice said the decision to have Burns join the Geneva meeting is a "strong signal" to the world that the Bush administration is serious about nuclear diplomacy⁸ with Iran, but that it has not softened⁹ its fundamental demand that Tehran must stop enrichment to end its political isolation¹⁰:

"I would remind you that I signed the letter that sent the proposal forward to the Iranian regime," she noted¹¹. "And this is, in a sense, the bookend -- Bill Burns will go to receive the Iranian response. But it should be very clear to everyone: the United States has a condition for the beginning of negotiations with Iran. And that condition remains¹² the verifiable suspension of Iran's enrichment and processing activities."

U.S. officials have declined to speculate what Iran's reply may be. But they say the range of comments by Tehran officials in recent weeks suggests, at least, an internal debate about whether to continue uranium enrichment - which the Tehran government has said is part of a peaceful nuclear program.

　

 

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 shunned   

v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was shunned by her family when she remarried. 她再婚后家里人都躲着她。
• He was a shy man who shunned all publicity. 他是个怕羞的人，总是避开一切引人注目的活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 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。

5 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

6 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

9 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

10 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。