2006年VOA标准英语-Russia Denies it Passed Secret War Intelli

By Chris Simkins
Washington, D.C.
28 March 2006
 
watch Spy report

Russia's foreign minister dismissed on Monday -- as politically motivated -- reports his country provided intelligence to Saddam Hussein at the start of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
 

Sergei Lavrov (file photo)   
  
Russia's foreign minister and its Foreign Intelligence Service denied allegations that a Russian diplomat¹ turned over information to Saddam Hussein's government on American troop movements and other military war plans before and during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq three years ago.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said hidden political motives² were behind the release of the U.S. Defense³ Department report last week.  He did not elaborate but Russia has been criticized by several U.S. analysts⁴ and rights groups for what they see as a rollback of democracy and press freedoms by the government of Vladimir Putin.

Russia's foreign minister says U.S. authorities have not addressed the U.S. Defense Department report through official channels. In several nationally televised interviews Sunday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States would ask the Kremlin about the allegations in the report.

Condoleezza Rice (file photo)   
  
"Let's talk with the Russian government. I would not jump to the conclusion that this, if indeed the reports are true, that it had to be Moscow directed,” said the secretary. “So let's take a look and lets talk to the Russian government about it. But I would think that this is something that the Russian government would take very serious as well."

Secretary of State Rice would not comment on how the report might affect U.S.-Russian relations or if Russia's alleged⁵ actions resulted in casualties among U.S. troops.

The Pentagon report says two captured Iraqi documents indicate that Russia's ambassador to Baghdad, Vladimir Titorenko, gave Iraqi officials detailed⁶ battlefield intelligence on the U.S. war plan. The information was allegedly obtained from Russian sources inside the American Central Command in Qatar.
 

Stephen Hadley (file photo)   
  
White House National Security Advisor⁷ Stephen Hadley would not speculate on what Russian President Putin knew about any possible Russian involvement. He said there are many unanswered questions.

"Anytime a country provides information to an enemy that would potentially put people at risk, we take that very seriously we would be raising that with the Russians,” said Mr. Hadley. “There are a lot of things we do not know.  We do not know how they go it out of Centcom (Central Command). We do not know whether what the ambassador did was authorized⁸ or not. So there are further questions that we need to raise."

The U.S. Defense Department study concluded that the classified war plans obtained by Iraq from Russia did not help Saddam Hussein's military forces. 

1 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

2 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 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。

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

7 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

8 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。