VOA标准英语2013--美国、俄罗斯达成叙利亚化学武器交易

 

US, Russia Reach Syrian Chemical Arms Deal 美国、俄罗斯达成叙利亚化学武器交易

GENEVA — The United States and Russia have agreed on a framework for ending Syria's chemical weapons program. They will push for a U.N. resolution enforcing that plan without threatening military action.

日内瓦——美国和俄罗斯达成一项框架协议,结束叙利亚的化学武器项目。他们将推动联合国决议执行那个计划没有威胁的军事行动。

The agreement requires Syria to make a full declaration of all chemical weapons storage and production sites within one week. It calls for the destruction of production and mixing equipment by November and the elimination¹ or removal of all chemical weapons material and equipment by the middle of 2014.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says it shows Washington and Moscow are committed to ending the Syrian chemical weapon threat "in the soonest and safest manner."

"Providing this framework is fully² implemented³, it can end the threat these weapons pose not only to the Syrian people but also to their neighbors, to the region, and because of the threat of proliferation, this framework can provide greater protection and security to the world," he said.

While negotiated between the United States and Russia, Kerry says ultimate responsibility for the plan rests with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters here that he has not spoken with Syrian officials since these talks began three days ago, but U.S. officials say they believe Damascus will comply.

The deal could avert⁴ a U.S. missile strike in retaliation⁵ for the Syrian government's alleged⁶ poison gas attack on civilians⁷ last month. But it does not insist on the threat of military action in a U.N. resolution to enforce the deal, largely because Russia would have vetoed such a provision.

Lavrov, who disputes President Assad's responsibility for last month's attack, says the deal holds Syrian rebels to the same standards.

Lavrov says that while the main responsibility for security for weapons inspectors⁸ rests with the Syrian government, opposition⁹ fighters must also respect these protocols¹⁰ without exclusion¹¹. Any violation¹² would be put to the U.N. Security Council and the council will take what he called appropriate, concrete measures.

But he says there is nothing in this document about the use of force or about automatic sanctions, simply that violations¹³ would be put to the Security Council to deal with accordingly.

In the course of Syria's civil war, Russia and China have three times vetoed tougher action against President Assad.

Kerry says U.S. President Barack Obama reserves the right to use military force to degrade Mr. Assad's ability to use chemical weapons.

"Depending on what Assad does, that possibility exists either within the process of the United Nations or, as it did here, with a decision by the President of the United States and like-minded allies if they thought that was what it came to," he said.

At these talks, U.S. and Russian officials agreed that Syria currently holds about 1,000 tons of chemical agents and precursors¹⁴ including sulfur¹⁵ mustard and sarin gas. U.S. officials believe there are some 45 sites where those munitions¹⁶ and related equipment are stored but admit that Assad forces appear to have moved some of those supplies.

Asked about Syrian rebel claims that some of those weapons are now in Lebanon and Iraq, a senior U.S. official said it is Washington's belief that all of Syria's chemical weapons remain inside the country. 

1 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

2 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。

3 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

4 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

5 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

7 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

8 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 protocols   

n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划）

参考例句：

• There are also protocols on the testing of nuclear weapons. 也有关于核武器试验的协议。 来自辞典例句
• Hardware components and software design of network transport protocols are separately introduced. 介绍系统硬件组成及网络传输协议的软件设计。 来自互联网

11 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

12 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

13 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

14 precursors   

n.先驱( precursor的名词复数 )；先行者；先兆；初期形式

参考例句：

• Phenyl (or polyphenyl) substituted epoxides serve as excellent precursors to phenyl (or diphenyl) carbenes. 某些苯代（或多苯）环氧乙烷是制取带苯环（或二苯）碳烯的极好原料。 来自辞典例句
• Note the presence of megakaryocytes, erythroid islands, and granulocytic precursors. 可见巨核细胞，红细胞岛和粒细胞前体细胞。 来自互联网

15 sulfur   

n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）

参考例句：

• Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
• Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。

16 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。