美国国家公共电台 NPR--Negotiators work to free 2 Americans the U.S. says are wrongfully detained in Russia

Negotiators work to free 2 Americans the U.S. says are wrongfully detained in Russia

Transcript¹

NPR's A Martinez talks to former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who has been assisting with talks for a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap² that would bring two Americans, who've been held in Russia, home.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Negotiators are trying to free two Americans that the State Department believes are wrongfully detained in Russia. WNBA star Brittney Griner was sentenced last week to nine years in prison on drug charges. And a little over two years ago, former U.S. Marine³ Paul Whelan was accused of being a spy and sent to jail to serve a 16-year sentence. The State Department has proposed a prisoner swap. And former U.N. ambassador and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson joins us now. Governor Richardson, you have a history of helping⁴ negotiate freedom for Americans, and I've heard that you describe yourself as a catalyst⁵ on the Brittney Griner case. What does a catalyst mean here?

BILL RICHARDSON: It means that I'm not trying to replace the government. I have a private humanitarian⁶ foundation that works on behalf of the families. We don't take orders from the government. But with my experience, my contacts, past hostage negotiations⁷, I try to be helpful. But I'm not the main agent. But I have in this case spoken to the White House, to the Russians, try to bring people together, navigate⁸ some kind of compromise. But I don't want to exacerbate⁹ my role. But there have been instances where directly I've been able - like in Burma with Danny Fenster, an American journalist - get them out without a prisoner exchange.

MART?NEZ: So are you authorized¹⁰ to make any offers or involve any names in a swap, say? Is that something you're allowed to do here?

RICHARDSON: No, no, no. No, that's the government function. But I can float names. For instance, with Trevor Reed, an American Marine released from Russia about two months ago, I had been working on, in the previous administration, a deal for a man named Yaroshenko, a Russian detained in an American prison, and that ended up being the deal. But it has to be authorized by the administration. The president had to be involved. And I commend this administration for using prisoner exchanges, as unseemly as they are, because the main objective is to try to bring American hostages home, almost at any cost.

MART?NEZ: And in this case, Russia says it is open to a prisoner swap, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that a substantial offer was made in June - would not say who, though. Can you confirm, governor, that it is Russian arms dealer¹² Viktor Bout¹¹ who's being considered?

RICHARDSON: No, I can't confirm it. But I think if it's through enough government discussions with members of the press, like you guys, it is probably the case. And Bout is a notorious arms dealer. But we get in return an American basketball star, an icon¹³, an African American woman, and an American Marine, who both have been wrongfully detained. Both deserve to come home. And I'm optimistic, relatively¹⁴ optimistic, for several reasons that they'll come home.

MART?NEZ: Would that be a lopsided yet necessary trade if it winds up being an athlete and a Marine for an arms dealer?

RICHARDSON: I would think it's going to end up being - this is my prediction - a two-for-two. I think the Russians will want more. And I believe that some kind of arrangement might make sense. Why? I think the Russians and the Americans have done a prisoner swap before despite terrible relations. Two, I think the fact that Foreign Minister Lavrov, who I served with at the U.N., is one of the negotiators - he's a practical person. He's pragmatic. And then the third reason, I think this Brittney Griner - her legal team has done a good job of contrition¹⁵, of lowballing the entire episode. So I see the possibility of - not instantaneous but something gradual, government to government. And hopefully I can help. But I can't discuss what I've been doing.

MART?NEZ: One thing, though, governor, it just feels like it's been stuck in neutral. What would be holding things up right now? Brittney Griner has gone through her case. She was found guilty. That's over with. So what would be holding things up right now?

RICHARDSON: Well, that's a positive sign. I hate to say that because it means the Russians can say our court system is concluded, so now we can negotiate. The sentence was unfair. And - but now is the time that governments can negotiate. Commutations can take place. Prisoner exchanges can take place. And prisoner exchanges are unseemly, but sometimes you have to do them in order to bring American hostages home.

MART?NEZ: Former U.N. ambassador and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Governor, thanks.

RICHARDSON: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

3 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

9 exacerbate   

v.恶化，增剧，激怒，使加剧

参考例句：

• WMO says a warming climate can exacerbate air pollution.世界气象组织说，气候变暖可能会加剧空气污染。
• In fact efforts will merely exacerbate the current problem.实际上努力只会加剧当前的问题。

10 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。

11 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

12 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

13 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

14 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

15 contrition   

n.悔罪，痛悔

参考例句：

• The next day he'd be full of contrition,weeping and begging forgiveness.第二天，他就会懊悔不已，哭着乞求原谅。
• She forgave him because his contrition was real.她原谅了他是由于他的懊悔是真心的。