VOA常速英语2008年-US Offers Russia Assurance on Missiles

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscow
18 March 2008

Though not backing away from plans to build a missile-defense¹ system in central Europe, the United States is offering a series of confidence-building measures to allay² Russian concerns about the project. Senior Russian officials were informed of the measures during so-called two plus two talks in Moscow among Russian foreign and defense ministers and their visiting U.S. counterparts. VOA Correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports from the Russian capital.

Speaking at a news conference after the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the United States elaborated on a number of measures aimed at confidence building and transparency in order to assure that new American missile facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic would not constitute a threat to Russia.

"We have leaned very far forward in this to provide reassurance³, and with a number of measures that, obviously, would require host-country approval and reciprocity," said Gates.

Moscow says a U.S. system on its doorstep would diminish Russia's strategic deterrent⁴. The United States insists the missiles would defend against a potential Iranian missile threat.

 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. proposals are serious and will be studied. He was quick to add, however, that the best way to ease Russian concerns about the proposed system would be not to build it at all.

But Lavrov notes the firm U.S. intention to establish the system. Despite disagreement on the substance of this issue, the Russian official says the United States recognizes that Russia has legitimate⁵ concerns and has offered proposals to eliminate or allay them.

Lavrov said participants in the talks did not decide how to proceed after next year's expiration⁶ of 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. He noted⁷ that any new agreement would be legally binding⁸, but that much work remains⁹ before it can be reached.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it is important to recognize the breadth of U.S.-Russian relations. Both sides worked out a strategic framework to govern those relations in the future. Rice said the document would reflect agreements already made or which need to be developed.

 

"For instance, global nuclear terrorism, [and] concerning the two presidents' [Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush] interest in developing a way to get assured fuel supply for countries that may wish to have civil nuclear power without the proliferation risk of enrichment and reprocessing," said Rice.

The United States said it would provide written copies of all proposals by the end of the day, which the Russian side said it would carefully study.

Secretaries Rice and Gates met earlier for private talks with several Russian opposition¹⁰ and business leaders. Participants included former member of parliament Vladimir Ryzhkov and Yabloko Party leader Grigory Yavlinsky. Former chess champion Garry Kasparov and former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov say they were not invited.

1 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。

2 allay   

v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等)

参考例句：

• The police tried to allay her fears but failed.警察力图减轻她的恐惧，但是没有收到什么效果。
• They are trying to allay public fears about the spread of the disease.他们正竭力减轻公众对这种疾病传播的恐惧。

3 reassurance   

n.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
• Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。

4 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

5 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

6 expiration   

n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物

参考例句：

• Can I have your credit card number followed by the expiration date?能告诉我你的信用卡号码和它的到期日吗?
• This contract shall be terminated on the expiration date.劳动合同期满，即行终止。

7 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。

8 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。