VOA标准英语2010年-Clinton: Big Powers Agree on Iran Sanc

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, 18 May 2010, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the new START Treaty

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the United States and other major powers have agreed on a draft resolution for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.  The announcement came a day after Iran accepted a Brazilian and Turkish-mediated¹ deal to export some of its enriched-uranium stockpile.

Iran's acceptance of the uranium deal mediated by Brazil and Turkey had been widely viewed by analysts² as an effort to blunt the U.S.-led drive in the U.N. Security Council for new sanctions.

But Clinton's surprise announcement in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee made clear that momentum³ for what would be a fourth round of U.N. sanctions has not been slowed.

The secretary of state said the veto-wielding permanent Security Council member states, including pivotal members China and Russia, have agreed on a draft resolution, which will be circulated in the full 15-member council.

While avoiding criticism of efforts by Brazil and Turkey to reach the export deal with Iran, the Obama administration has made clear its skepticism that it would hamper⁴ what is seen here as an Iranian drive for nuclear weapons.

Clinton, opening Senate testimony⁵ on the new U.S.-Russia nuclear arms reduction treaty, said the Tehran accord leaves "a number of unanswered questions" and the sanctions agreement is as convincing an answer that could be provided to the Tehran announcement. 

"Though we acknowledged the sincere efforts of both Turkey and Brazil to find a solution regarding Iran's stand-off with the international community over its unclear program, the P-5 Plus 1 - which consists, of course, of Russia, China the United States, the U.K., France and Germany along with the High Representative of the EU - are proceeding⁶ to rally the international community on behalf of a strong sanctions resolution that will in our view send an unmistakable message about what is expected from Iran," she said.

Monday in Tehran, Iran said it was accepting a variant⁷ of a big-power, confidence-building proposal made last November, under which it would export much of its low-enriched uranium stockpile in return for higher-enriched fuel for a Tehran research reactor⁸.

But critics of the deal, described by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as a victory of diplomacy⁹, noted¹⁰ it did not include a commitment by Iran to stop enrichment, and that Iran would retain enough of its uranium stocks to potentially build a weapon.

Introducing Clinton at the hearing, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry said given Iran's continued enrichment drive since last November, its acceptance of the offer now is less significant.

"As we know, during the course of the months since that original deal was put on the table, Iran has gone from about 1,800 kilograms to 2,300 kilograms [of enriched uranium], and so it is not the same deal," said Kerry.  "And it is our understanding that the potential for a breakout to one nuclear weapon would exist during the time of this swap¹¹, absent further ingredients of a deal."

Clinton told Senators she had spoken with Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, about the draft resolution.  Moscow had said earlier it shared U.S. concerns about the Tehran accord.

Among the permanent Security Council member states, China has been the most reluctant to support new Iran sanctions, but U.S. officials have said China has been a full participant in U.N. sanctions negotiations¹².

Secretary Clinton attends a U.S.-China strategic and economic dialogue in Beijing next week.
 

1 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

2 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。

3 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。

5 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。

6 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

7 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

8 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。

9 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。

10 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。

11 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

12 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。