VOA常速英语2014--Sanctions Threaten London’s Secretive Russian Oligarchs 制裁影响伦敦俄裔神秘寡头政治家

 

Sanctions Threaten London’s Secretive Russian Oligarchs 制裁影响伦敦俄裔神秘寡头政治家

LONDON — During the past decade London has proved a magnet for rich Russians. But the billions of rubles that pour into the City of London could be under threat, as Britain weighs economic sanctions against Russia following Moscow’s annexation¹ of Crimea.

在过去十年中，伦敦大受俄罗斯富商青睐。但大量涌入伦敦市场的卢布可能受到影响，因为英国当局正考虑就俄罗斯并吞克里米亚一事对俄进行经济制裁。

In London’s wealthy districts of Kensington and Chelsea, street names like Moscow Road and St. Petersburgh Place point to the historic appeal for wealthy Russians.

在伦敦肯辛顿和切尔西的富人区，一些如莫斯科路和圣彼得堡宫殿的街道名显示出俄罗斯富商自古以来就对这座城市情有独钟。

Parts of the city are affectionately known as ‘Londongrad’ by Russian residents. Much of the allure² stems from the security London affords, says Nicholas Redman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

这座城市一些地方也被俄罗斯居民亲切地称为“伦敦格勒”。国际战略研究所尼古拉斯·芮德门指出，伦敦的魅力在于它的资金保障。

“We have a court system here, and property rights system in Britain, which you just do not have the equivalent of in Russia. And so people that have made money in Russia like to have a base here in order to feel more secure in the future,” said Redman.

“在英国，有着和俄国无法比拟的司法制度和产权制度。所以，很多在俄国赚钱的人都愿意以伦敦为基地，以便在未来得到更多的保证。”芮德门表示。

Global trade hub

全球贸易中心

That security is under question as Britain draws up stronger economic sanctions against Russia in case of further incursions into Ukraine.

当英国就反对俄罗斯未来入侵乌克兰一事对俄进行更严厉的经济制裁时，英国资金安全正受到考验。

The City of London is a hub for Russian businesses pursuing global trade. Nearly 70 Russian companies are listed on London stock markets, including energy giants Rosneft and Gazprom.

伦敦是俄罗斯产业推行全球化的贸易中心。近70个俄罗斯公司在伦敦股票市场注册，其中包括能源巨头Rosneft与Gazprom公司。

The threat of sanctions has caused the postponement³ of at least two stock offerings, though, as the appetite for Russian securities has fallen, according to Moscow-born Sergei Ostrovsky from the Russia division of global law firm, Ashurst.

据阿什赫斯特国际法律事务所俄罗斯分部的瑟杰·奥斯妥夫斯基表示，这场制裁威胁已经让至少两期股票延迟发售，而俄资金保障信心也在下降。

“There will a period of caution while people put on hold projects, which can be put on hold, adopt the wait and see position," said Ostrovsky. "And where they will be cautious to take on new projects. In the long term it is difficult to see for an easy replacement⁴ for the city of London where Russian business is concerned.”

“会有一段时期人们持股票保持观望态度，静待局势变化。”奥斯妥夫斯基提出，“人们也会非常谨慎地开展新项目。长期来看，俄罗斯将忧虑没有合适替换掉伦敦的金融中心。”

Prime London property is another favored investment. Real estate agents highlight the $39-million sale in 2012 of a 12-bedroom house in Kensington, complete with movie theater and swimming pool - the ideal investment for a Russian oligarch.

高质量的伦敦房地产也是另一项大受欢迎的投资。实际上，不动产行业强调在肯辛顿一套12床位套间在2012年可以卖到三千九百万，内设影院和游泳池。这对俄裔寡头政治家来说，无疑是最理想的投资。

Broker⁵ Ed Mead⁶, Executive Director of real estate agent Douglas and Gordon, said, “The secrecy⁷ laws here allow you to buy a property in an offshore⁸ or a company name. You pay an enhanced stamp duty [tax]. And I think they quite like the anonymity⁹ that provides them.”

经纪人艾德·米德，道格拉斯和戈登不动产执行长官，表示“保密法能让你在国外以公司名义置购房地产。你只需要付一笔额外的印花税。我认为，他们在购买时更情愿匿名。”

Analysts¹⁰ debate issue Russia’s President Vladimir Putin relies on the support of influential¹¹ oligarchs with lots of money parked in London, said Redman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

据国际战略研究所芮德门分析，俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京依赖于在伦敦大量置产并颇有影响力的寡头政治家们支持。

“If large members of the Russian elite¹² are being seriously inconvenienced, if their wealth is being wiped out, if they are no longer welcome in the kind of places that they are used to going in, then it is reasonable to assume that their loyalty¹³ would at least be tested,” he said.

“倘若多数俄罗斯精英觉得严重不便，倘若他们的财富被剥夺，倘若他们在过去经常出没的地方被拒之门外，那我们有理由相信，至少他们的忠诚度会得到测试。”他认为。

Sanctions would not have an immediate¹⁴ effect on Russia’s wider economy, said Elizabeth Stephens of insurance brokers¹⁵ Jardine Lloyd Thompson. “We have seen with Iran, we saw with Iraq under [Saddam] Hussein, it takes many years for that to come to fruition. And in the interim¹⁶, the European Union would hurt their own economies as well.”

制裁不会对俄罗斯广泛的经济造成迅速影响，怡和保险伊丽莎白·史蒂芬预测，“我们知道伊朗，萨达姆·侯赛因控制下的伊拉克，多年以后才见效。而在此期间，欧盟也会伤害到自己的利益。”

 

Analysts say that trade-off is being debated in capitals across Europe - none more so than in London.

分析家们认为，不仅仅是伦敦，欧洲其他首都也要对如何取舍问题应该展开讨论。

1 annexation   

n.吞并，合并

参考例句：

• He mentioned the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910 .他提及1910年日本对朝鲜的吞并。
• I regard the question of annexation as belonging exclusively to the United States and Texas.我认为合并的问题，完全属于德克萨斯和美国之间的事。

2 allure   

n.诱惑力，魅力；vt.诱惑，引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• The window displays allure customers to buy goods.橱窗陈列品吸引顾客购买货物。
• The book has a certain allure for which it is hard to find a reason.这本书有一种难以解释的魅力。

3 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

4 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

5 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

6 mead   

n.蜂蜜酒

参考例句：

• He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。
• He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。

7 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

8 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

9 anonymity   

n.the condition of being anonymous

参考例句：

• Names of people in the book were changed to preserve anonymity. 为了姓名保密，书中的人用的都是化名。
• Our company promises to preserve the anonymity of all its clients. 我们公司承诺不公开客户的姓名。

10 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。

11 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

12 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

13 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

14 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

15 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

16 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。