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248 俄美试图改善紧张关系
US, Russia Attempt to Smooth Out Relations
Larry James
Moscow
26 Jul 2001 10:19 UTC
Three senior American officials are in Moscow Thursday for talks with Russian officials aimed at improving relations strained by a 1)spy 2)scandal and U.S. plans to build a missile defense system.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov gave a positive assessment of the way Russian-U.S. relations are developing. Following a 40-minute talk with U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, the Russian official said both countries are looking for common ground, and that Moscow is willing to listen to Washington's arguments for a missile defense system.
Mr. Sergei that "without being antagonists, without being enemies, Russia and the United States are looking for ways to establish, on a new and even more 3)stable basis, a system of international security, including the key question of 4)strategic stability."
The Russian official 5)cautioned, however, that 6)achieving that goal is going to take time. Russian news agencies quoted Ms. Rice as saying the two countries are in a new era of cooperation, and that the two sides must move beyond the Cold War.
Moscow is facing the prospect of a 7)unilateral U.S. 8)withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, which does not allow deployment of the missile defense shield Washington wants. Russia has adamantly opposed scrapping the ABM treaty, and has warned doing so could spark a new and destabilizing 9)arms race. Over the past few weeks, however, Moscow has adopted a more 10)conciliatory tone.
Washington argues that the 1972 ABM Treaty is out of date now, and that the main threat is from so-called "rogue states," such as Iraq and North Korea.
Ms. Rice is accompanied by U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans. As Ms. Rice began her visit, North Korea's reclusive leader, Kim Jong-Il, arrived in Russia by train for a meeting with President Putin. The train trip normally takes about seven days. Almost nothing else is known about Mr. Kim's visit to Russia. He was first expected several months ago, but Russian 11)media have suggested that visit was 12)postponed to avoid causing any problems in efforts to improve relations between Moscow and Washington.
(1) spy[spaI]n.特工人员, 间谍v.侦察, 侦察, 发现
(2) scandal[5skAnd(E)l]n.丑行,丑闻,诽谤,耻辱,流言蜚语
(3) stable[5steIb(E)l]adj.稳定的
(4) strategic[strE5ti:dVIk]adj.战略的, 战略上的
(5) caution[5kC:F(E)n]n.小心, 谨慎, 警告vt.警告
(6) achieve[E5tFi:v]vt.完成, 达到
(7) unilateral[ju:nI5lAtEr(E)l]adj.单方面, 单边的, 片面的
(8) withdrawal[wIT5drC:El]n.收回, 撤退, 退回, 取消
(9) arms race n.军备竞赛
(10) conciliatory[kEn`sIlIEtErI]adj.抚慰的, 调和的
(11) media[`mi:dIE]n.媒体
(12) postpone v.延期,推迟
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