ECONOMICS REPORT - Russia Moves Closer to WTO

ECONOMICS¹ REPORT - Russia Moves Closer to WTO
By Mario Ritter

Broadcast: Friday, May 28, 2004

This is Phoebe Zimmermann with the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Russia is the largest economic power that is not a member of the World Trade Organization. But that may change. Last Friday, the European Union said it would support Russia's effort to become a W.T.O. member.

Representatives of the European Union met with Russian officials in Moscow. They signed a trade agreement that took six years to negotiate².

Russia called the trade agreement balanced. Russia agreed to slowly increase fuel prices within the country. It agreed to permit competition in its communications industry and to remove some barriers to trade.

Russia said it will continue total control of its main energy company Gazprom. Officials also reached agreements on banking³, transportation and financial protection, or insurance.

In exchange for European support to join the W.T.O., Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would speed up the process to approve the Kyoto Protocol⁴. That is an international environmental agreement to reduce the production of harmful industrial gases including carbon dioxide. These "greenhouse⁵ gases" trap heat in the atmosphere and are blamed for changing the world's climate.

Russia had signed the Kyoto Protocol, but has not approved it. A few months ago, Mister⁶ Putin had said that Russia would reject the Protocol. The agreement takes effect when it has been approved by nations that produce at least fifty-five percent of the world's greenhouse gases.

Currently⁷, nations producing only forty-four percent have approved the Protocol. Russia produces about seventeen percent of the world's greenhouse gases. The United States, the world's biggest producer, withdrew⁸ from the Kyoto Protocol after President Bush took office in two-thousand-one. So, Russia's approval⁹ is required to put the Kyoto Protocol into effect.

To join the W.T.O, a country must reach trade agreements with major trading countries that are also W.T.O. members. Until now, Russia had reached agreement with only ten W.T.O. members. Russia must still reach agreements with China, Japan, South Korea and the United States.

Russia is the ninth largest economy in the world. The total value of all goods and services produced by the country last year was one-thousand-three-hundred-fifty-million dollars.

This VOA Special English Economics Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Phoebe Zimmermann.

1 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

2 negotiate   

v.洽谈，协商，谈判，顺利通过，成功越过

参考例句：

• I'll negotiate with their coach on the date of the match.我将与他们的教练磋商比赛的日期问题。
• I managed to negotiate successfully with the authorities.我设法同当局进行了成功的协商。

3 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

4 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

5 greenhouse   

n.花房，温室，玻璃暖房

参考例句：

• Behind the green house was a greenhouse.在那所绿房子后面是一个花房。
• The tomatoes were grown in the greenhouse.这些西红柿是在温室栽培的。

6 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

7 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

8 withdrew   

v.取[收]回( withdraw的过去式 )；（使）撤退[出]；提；收回

参考例句：

• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She quickly withdrew her hand from the hot iron. 她很快地将手从火烫的熨斗上缩了回来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 approval   

n.赞成，同意；批准，认可

参考例句：

• The audience has expressed its approval.观众已经认可。
• The teacher signed his approval.老师做了手势表示同意。