VOA标准英语 US, Russia to Reopen Nuclear Talks

The United States and Russia have agreed to reopen talks on reducing long-range nuclear weapons. The announcement was made as U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev met in London, the site of the G20 economic summit.
　
US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev during their meeting ahead of G20 summit in London, 1 Apr 2009

President Obama and Mr. Medvedev say it is time to begin a new era in U.S.-Russian relations.

They are starting with a pledge to reduce strategic offensive arms.

"What I believe we have begun today is a very constructive¹ dialogue that will allow us to work on issues of mutual² interest, like the reduction of nuclear weapons and the strengthening of our non-proliferation treaties," said Mr. Obama.

In a written statement issued as they met in London, they announced the first substantive³ round of arms talks between their two countries in more than a decade.

New arms deal?

They say they are instructing their negotiators to begin work on a new arms deal to replace the soon-to-expire Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which was signed in 1991.

The goal is to go well beyond the so-called START agreement, which limited their nuclear arsenals⁴ to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says the two countries have not settled on a new cap. But as he sat down with the Russian leader for the first time, President Obama sounded optimistic.

"What we are seeing today is the beginning of new progress in U.S.-Russian relations," he said.

President plans July visit to Moscow

Mr. Obama said he has accepted an invitation to visit Russia in July, when negotiators on the new treaty are expected to report back to their respective governments.

"The president extended an invitation for me to visit Moscow, to build on some of the areas that we discussed today, and I have agreed to visit Moscow in July, which we both agreed was a better time than January to visit," he said.

Medvedev: better relations possible

President Medvedev joined Mr. Obama's assessment⁵ that U.S. Russian relations have been drifting in recent years, and drifting in the wrong direction.

Speaking in Russian, he talked about the prospects⁶ for improving cooperation, saying there are many concerns the two countries can address together, even though they have differences in other areas.

Administration officials say President Obama did not shy away from raising those differences during his talks with the Russian president. They say the discussions covered the situation in Georgia, and the dispute over a pending⁷ U.S. plan to put components⁸ of a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

1 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

2 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

3 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

4 arsenals   

n.兵工厂，军火库( arsenal的名词复数 )；任何事物的集成

参考例句：

• We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句
• Arsenals are factories that produce weapons. 军工厂是生产武器的工厂。 来自互联网

5 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

6 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

7 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

8 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。