VOA标准英语2009年-Report: Defectors Allege Burma Seeking to

Researchers in Thailand say two defectors from Burma say the military government has a secret nuclear program that aims to build nuclear weapons, and could have a nuclear test as soon as five years from now. The researchers say the defectors have also linked North Korea to the program, raising further concerns about Pyongyang's nuclear proliferation, if the allegations prove true.
　
Burma

In interviews with Australian researchers over a two-year period in Thailand, the two defectors said that a hidden nuclear complex is being built in caves excavated¹ in a mountainous area of northern Burma.

The defectors said that they were directly involved in the secret program, and that Burma's goal is to build nuclear weapons.

The defectors' testimony² was first published in the Sydney Morning Herald³, which did not publish their real names in order to protect their identities.

One of the researchers who interviewed the defectors is Desmond Ball, a professor in strategic studies at Australian National University. The Herald quotes Ball as saying, if their testimony is true, Burma could begin producing one nuclear weapon a year as early as 2014.

One of the defectors, a former Burmese army officer, told researchers he was trained in Moscow as part of Burma's plans for a "nuclear battalion⁴" of one thousand men to build the weapons.

The other said he handled Burma's nuclear contracts with Moscow and Pyongyang and arranged the night-time delivery of equipment from North Korea.

Phil Thornton is a freelance journalist based in Thailand and the other researcher who interviewed the men. He says, although the defectors did not know each other, their stories agreed on the main facts, lending some weight to their credibility.

"Even if 10% of what they said is correct, it's still a concern, a regional concern, because a Burma with a nuclear facility is a deep worry," Thornton said.

Russia is helping⁵ Burma build a civilian⁶ nuclear reactor⁷. But, Thornton says the military government's cooperation with North Korea is the real concern.

"Burma has signed the non-proliferation treaty and has Russia, who's doing training," Thonton said. "I don't think that's the concern. If Russia and Burma are working on something, then they'll probably follow the treaty. But, if you kick in North Korea, which is a bit of a wild card and a rogue⁸ state, then you crank it up another level."

Concerns have been raised occasionally about a possible nuclear link between North Korea and Burma.

In June, a North Korean ship believed to be headed to Burma with a suspicious cargo⁹ turned back under international pressure.

U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton told an Asian security conference last month they should be concerned that the two pariah¹⁰ states may be transferring nuclear technology.

Clinton said any military ties between Burma and North Korea would pose a direct threat to the region.

1 excavated   

v.挖掘( excavate的过去式和过去分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘

参考例句：

• The site has been excavated by archaeologists. 这个遗址已被考古学家发掘出来。
• The archaeologists excavated an ancient fortress. 考古学家们发掘出一个古堡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

3 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

4 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 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。

7 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。

8 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

9 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

10 pariah   

n.被社会抛弃者

参考例句：

• Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village.不一会儿，汤姆碰上了村里的少年弃儿。
• His landlady had treated him like a dangerous criminal,a pariah.房东太太对待他就像对待危险的罪犯、对待社会弃儿一样。