VOA标准英语2009年-Russia Wants Closer Communication With OPEC

Russia says it will send a permanent observer to the Organization of the Petroleum¹ Exporting Countries, amid mounting concerns among producers about falling oil prices. Meanwhile OPEC ministers have decided² to stick with current production levels. The OPEC ministers said Sunday they will put pressure on members producing more than the daily quota³ of 25 million barrels per day.
　
Chinese Vice⁴ Premier⁵ Wang Qishan, right, shakes hands with Russian counterpart Igor Sechin at Great Hall of the People in Beijing 17 Feb. 2009

Speaking at the OPEC gathering⁶ in Vienna, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin told delegates Moscow wanted to send a permanent representative to the organization to improve cooperation,

"We have also discussed the issue of having a permanent representative of the Russian federation⁷ to the OPEC's secretariat," said Sechin. "We believe that with this initiative a sustainable and prompt exchange of views between the parties concerned could be established. We believe it to be very important in a time of the [global] crisis."

Due to the global financial crisis, oil prices have dropped from record highs of close to $150 per barrel last year, to just around $40.

Following the meeting OPEC oil ministers said they will stick to present output levels set in December. They also said they would pressure some members who have been overproducing.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sechin again suggested cutting production.

"Joint⁸ endeavors significantly helped to stabilize⁹ the current oil prices at the current level at $40 per barrel," he said. "However, many experts are skeptical¹⁰, saying that the achieved balance is short term. In particular this view is proved by the inventories¹¹ in three key markets, West Europe, the U.S. and Japan. More importantly these numbers do not include the stocks in tankers¹², or infrastructure¹³ and sub-surface storage outside these regions. In that context decreasing oil supplies is a compulsory¹⁴, but justified¹⁵, measure."

Sechin said Russia would organize an international conference in Moscow this year to discuss the future of oil supplies.

While Sechin's presence at the meeting signaled a new era of cooperation, analysts¹⁷ cautioned that Russia prizes its independence and is unlikely to become a full OPEC member.

Despite the worldwide downturn, well-known oil analyst¹⁶ and trader Stephen Schork is convinced prices will dramatically rise by 2012. He accused U.S. President Barack Obama of not doing enough to help stabilize prices.

"You have a U.S. administration that is openly hostile to the development of domestic oil and gas reserves in the United States," said Stephen Schork. "Therefore, we will face in the same situation as in 2003 when we all came out of the [Internet] dot com recession of 2002 and 2003, and all this demand from all four corners of the world hit. Suddenly we found out we did not have enough supply and oil prices went from $20 to $150. Same situation here. When all demand comes back, prices will go up from $40 to at least $150 and probably $200 this time around."

President Obama says his administration is not against the oils industry, but wants to look to alternative energy sources as part of a plan to make the United States less dependent on foreign oil.

Analyst Schork says he does not expect oil prices to increase much this year. He said economic growth in countries such as China and India is unlikely to help OPEC's efforts to stabilize or increase prices.

"No they cannot," he said. "People looked at growth and people got excited because I think the economic growth from China came out at eight percent, which was thought to be a very high number. But we are talking about a country of [more than] a billion people. Same situation with India. You need growth at 10, 11 or 12 percent to keep those people employed, to keep those factories open."

That view is shared by OPEC, which has warned the global economic meltdown will depress oil consumption by at least one percent, this year.

1 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

2 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。

3 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

6 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。

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。

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

9 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

10 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

11 inventories   

n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制

参考例句：

• In other cases, such as inventories, inputs and outputs are both continuous. 在另一些情况下，比如存货，其投入和产出都是持续不断的。
• The store must clear its winter inventories by April 1st. 该店必须在4月1日前售清冬季存货。

12 tankers   

运送大量液体或气体的轮船[卡车]( tanker的名词复数 )； 油轮； 罐车； 油槽车

参考例句：

• They should stop offloading waste from oil tankers into the sea. 他们应当停止从油轮上往海里倾倒废弃物。
• The harbour admits large tankers and freighters. 这个港口容得下巨型油船和货轮。

13 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

14 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

15 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

16 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

17 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。