VOA标准英语2010年-NPT Conference to Discuss Iran, Mideas

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addresses the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) conference at United Nations headquarters, Monday, May 3, 2010

 

Delegates from around the world are at the United Nations in New York, taking part in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference - a gathering¹ that takes place every five years.  The conference will discuss two issues: Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program and the idea of a nuclear weapons free zone in the Middle East.

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, or NPT, is the legal cornerstone of nonproliferation efforts.

Nearly 190 signatories have ratified² the NPT that entered into force in 1970.  In 1995, member states agreed to extend the treaty indefinitely.  Every five years, the signatory states gather to review compliance³ with the treaty.  That is what is happening this month at the United Nations.

Experts say the NPT involves a "grand bargain" - non-nuclear states are bound not to acquire nuclear weapons, while states that possess nuclear weapons move toward disarmament, getting rid of their atomic arsenals⁴.  All states are free to develop nuclear power, but only for peaceful purposes.

Daryl Kimball, Executive Director of the Arms Control Association here in Washington, says nine states possess nuclear weapons.

"The five original nuclear weapon states - the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China," Kimball said. "And then India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons.  Israel has a nuclear program outside of international safeguards and it is widely known, though Israel does not acknowledge that it has a relatively⁵ small number of nuclear weapons.  And North Korea has enough plutonium to build about 10 nuclear bombs.  No one knows precisely⁶ how many bombs North Korea may have assembled."

Nonetheless, experts such as John Isaacs, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, say the NPT has been successful in curbing⁷ the spread of nuclear weapons.

"Yes, there are more nuclear powers than there were when the treaty was signed," Isaacs said. "But on the other hand, when [U.S.] President [John F.] Kennedy was in office in the 1960s, he was predicting there would be 20 to 25 nuclear powers.  So the treaty hasn't been perfect; it hasn't prevented all countries that didn't have nuclear weapons from developing them.  But I think it has been one of the impediments to countries that could have developed nuclear weapons and decided⁸ not to.  And that list of countries that thought about building nuclear weapons would include Argentina and Brazil, Japan, South Korea."

Suspected of Seeking N. Weapons:

The West suspects that NPT-member Iran has been seeking nuclear weapons. Tehran denies.

The United States and Britain have been leading a campaign to toughen UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran for enriching uranium.

Western fears of a stealthy Iranian quest for nuclear weapons capacity heightened when Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) it will build another plant for enriching uranium.
The month-long NPT Review Conference is expected to discuss, among other issues, Iran - a country that is suspected by many nations of having a covert⁹ program to build atomic weapons.  But Tehran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told conference delegates this week [on Monday] that his country does not need nuclear bombs for its development.

Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Washington-based Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, says that although specific leaders might be criticized, countries at the conference will not be singled out by name.

"There is generally a diplomatic courtesy extended to avoid using proper nouns - that is, references to other countries," Sokolski said. "But everyone will be aware that if they talk about enforcement, if they talk about the need for countries not to acquire the very materials necessary to make bombs - highly-enriched uranium or separated plutonium - that the case in point will be Iran.  And it's just going to loom¹⁰ over the proceedings¹¹ to some degree, no matter what people try to do to avoid using the proper name, Iran.  Iran will be a neuralgic [painful] topic for the body.  Many states that are like us [the United States] will want to say something about it.  But I think there will be just as many that would prefer to defend its argument that it hasn't acquired a bomb and shouldn't be leaned upon and shouldn't be sanctioned, etc."

Analysts¹² say delegates must be careful about how far they go in criticizing Iran, because as a member of the NPT, Tehran has the potential to block any agreement on a final conference statement.

Experts such as Daryl Kimball say the conference will also discuss an idea that has been proposed for many years for the Middle East - a nuclear weapons free zone.

Suspected of Having N. Weapons:

Israel is widely suspected to have between 100 and 200 strategic nuclear weapons.

Israel has a policy of ambiguity¹³ on its nuclear program, no confirmation¹⁴, no denial. In 2006, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert admitted that Israel has nuclear weapons, in an interview with German television.

Israel refuses to sign the NPT Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In 1986 Israeli nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu gave detailed¹⁵ information to the British Sunday Times newspaper about Israel's nuclear program.Vanunu was kidnapped from Italy by the Israeli intelligence and brought back to Israel where he was jailed for 18 Years.

"Egypt has been a main proponent¹⁶.  And in 1995, when the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty was indefinitely extended, it was extended on the promise to pursue the goal of a nuclear weapons free zone in the Middle East," Kimball said. "Egypt at this conference is looking for some commitment from the other NPT members to move forward in this direction.  And they are seeking, among other things, agreement by the states to hold a conference in 2011 on how a zone free of weapons of mass destruction can be established in the region.  Now all states in the region theoretically support this as a goal, but they disagree on how to proceed and what the conditions for such a zone should be."

Kimball says that this time, the proposal might get more attention because Egypt is the current chair of the 118-member non-aligned movement.
 

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

3 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。

4 arsenals   

n.兵工厂，军火库( arsenal的名词复数 )；任何事物的集成

参考例句：

• We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句
• Arsenals are factories that produce weapons. 军工厂是生产武器的工厂。 来自互联网

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

7 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

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 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

10 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

11 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

12 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。

13 ambiguity   

n.模棱两可；意义不明确

参考例句：

• The telegram was misunderstood because of its ambiguity.由于电文意义不明确而造成了误解。
• Her answer was above all ambiguity.她的回答毫不含糊。

14 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

15 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

16 proponent   

n.建议者；支持者；adj.建议的

参考例句：

• Stapp became a strong early proponent of automobile seat belts.斯塔普是力主在汽车上采用座椅安全带的早期倡导者。
• Halsey was identified as a leading proponent of the values of progressive education.哈尔西被认为是进步教育价值观的主要支持者。