2007年VOA标准英语-Russian Officials Urge West to Help Transform C

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscow
22 June 2007

In 1957, the United States and Soviet¹ Union began a series of exhibits to showcase the life and achievements of the two countries.  Russia is marking the 50th anniversary of the exchanges in place of the USSR, which ceased to exist in 1991.  A Moscow symposium² on Thursday examined the impact of the exhibits and discussed how continued foreign engagement with Russia can help that country abandon imperial ambitions, which characterized the country's past.  VOA correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports from the Russian capital.

In his keynote address to the symposium at Moscow's Carnegie Center think tank, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia, as opposed to the Soviet Union, is not creating physical or political walls at home or abroad. 

Sergei Lavrov at Moscow's Carnegie Center think tank

He said Russia's moves toward a free market, the country's growing economy, and the abundance of energy resources deserve the world's respect.  He said Russia and the West can cooperate as equal partners to help former Soviet republics who now belong to the Commonwealth³ of Independent States (CIS).

Lavrov says conditions exist for respectful cooperation between Russia and the West to help CIS countries establish statehood.  

Moscow City Council member Dimitri Kataev, who once visited the United States on an exchange program, told the symposium how he was struck by America's diverse ethnic⁴ mix.  Kataev noted⁵ that some American schools celebrate the independence of Mexico, which prompted the following rhetorical question about Russia's neighbor to the south.

Dimitri Kataev

Kataev asked if anyone could conceive of Russian schools celebrating the independence of Ukraine.  His question elicited⁶ laughter in the audience, indicating that Russians are not completely reconciled to the loss of Ukraine.

The chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's Federation⁷ Council, Senator Mikhail Margelov, said his country is engaged in the difficult task of introducing a non-imperial consciousness into Russia's political culture.  Margelov said the task has been faced by other countries that have lost empires.  He said Russia needs help in becoming a nation, rather than empire.

Margelov says the West can help Russia think of ways to help its citizens broaden the window on Europe and America, so that the openings turn into showcases with an exchange that works both ways.

Margelov and Foreign Minister Lavrov urged the West to ease visa regulations for Russians who want to travel to the United States and the European Union.  He said a world more open to Russians will weaken the influence of the country's isolationists.

1 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

2 symposium   

n.讨论会，专题报告会；专题论文集

参考例句：

• What have you learned from the symposium?你参加了这次科学讨论会有什么体会？
• The specialists and scholars present at the symposium come from all corners of the country.出席研讨会的专家学者们来自全国各地。

3 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 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。

6 elicited   

引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Threats to reinstate the tax elicited jeer from the Opposition. 恢复此项征税的威胁引起了反对党的嘲笑。
• The comedian's joke elicited applause and laughter from the audience. 那位滑稽演员的笑话博得观众的掌声和笑声。

7 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。