VOA标准英语2008年-US Says North Korea 'Getting Closer' to Restart

The United States said Friday North Korea is continuing to take steps to reverse the shutdown of its Yongbyon reactor¹ complex. The State Department urged North Korea to remain in compliance² with the six-party accord, under which is to scrap³ its nuclear program in exchange for aid and diplomatic benefits. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　
North Korea's spent nuclear fuel rods kept in cooling pond are seen at nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, in this 1996 file photo, released from Yonhap

Officials here acknowledge that North Korea is taking tangible⁴ actions to back up its threat to restart the Yongbyon reactor, but they say the facility is not yet back in operation and are urging Pyongyang to desist.

North Korea said early this month it was taking steps to restart the reactor - source of the plutonium for its small nuclear weapons stockpile - because the United States has failed to remove it from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

President Bush has informed Congress of his intention to "de-list" North Korea but the administration says removal is dependent on Pyongyang's provision of a verification plan for the declaration of nuclear assets it made in June.

North Korea Friday said it no longer wants or expects to be taken off the list and is making what were termed "thorough preparations" to restore its nuclear facilities.

The United States, which has monitors at Yongbyon, said two weeks ago North Korea was observed moving equipment out of storage at Yongbyon. Briefing reporters Friday, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the activity has moved to a second stage, of actual preparations to reverse the reactor shutdown.
　
Sean McCormack (file photo)

"They continue to move to the right - getting closer and closer to that point where they are to the point of operationalizing Yongbyon again," McCormack said. "They haven't gotten to that point, and we would urge them not to get to that point. As always, throughout this process they have a choice - they can go down the pathway of having a different kind of relationship with the rest of the world, receiving the benefits of that relationship, or they can keep themselves isolated⁵ [and] move the process backwards⁶."

North Korea's increasingly tough line in recent weeks coincides with press reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il may have suffered a stroke.

Spokesman McCormack said he would "not discount" the reports of the North Korean leader's illness, but would not elaborate.

He also said while the United States has been in recent diplomatic contact with North Korea, he said it has yet to see "any outputs" from Pyongyang for the past month or so - suggesting an absence of decision-making.

Some analysts⁷ have suggested North Korea may have decided⁸ to stall the six-party process until a new U.S. administration takes office next January.

McCormack said he would not presume to offer Pyongyang political advice, but that the likelihood is that the benefits North Korea would accrue⁹ from disarming¹⁰ would not be different or better under the next U.S. president.

North Korea shut down and was in the process of disabling the reactor complex in exchange for energy aid from the other parties.

Submitting a verification plan was to open the way to the next phase of the accord, which would include among other things the lifting of terrorism-related sanctions and a phased normalization¹¹ of relations with the United States.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to discuss the stalled process next week at the United Nations with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi of China, the chair of the six-party talks.

 

1 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。

2 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

3 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

4 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

7 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。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 accrue   

v.(利息等)增大，增多

参考例句：

• Ability to think will accrue to you from good habits of study.思考能力将因良好的学习习惯而自然增强。
• Money deposited in banks will accrue to us with interest.钱存在银行，利息自生。

10 disarming   

adj.消除敌意的，使人消气的v.裁军( disarm的现在分词 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• He flashed her a disarming smile. 他朝她笑了一下，让她消消气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We will agree to disarming troops and leaving their weapons at military positions. 我们将同意解除军队的武装并把武器留在军事阵地。 来自辞典例句

11 normalization   

n.（normalisation）正常化，标准化

参考例句：

• The visit signalled the normalization of relations between the two countries.这次访问显示两国关系已经正常化。
• He was pleased to the normalization of relationship between the police and the people.他很高兴警方和人民之间关系的正常化。