2006年VOA标准英语-Russia Comments on US Vice President's Cri

By Kathie Scarrah
Washington, DC
05 May 2006
 
watch Cheney report

A top Russian official has refused to comment directly on Russian media reports that have characterized U.S. Vice¹ President Dick Cheney's strong criticism of Russia as the start of a second Cold War.  Cheney's remarks, made Thursday at a forum² of leaders of formerly³ communist-ruled countries, have reverberated⁴ in Moscow, where a Kremlin spokesman called them incomprehensible. 

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Vice President Dick Cheney spoke⁵ at a summit of Baltic and Black Sea leaders in Lithuania, a stop on his six-day tour of former Soviet⁶ bloc⁷ states to promote democratic reforms. 

Cheney praised the progress made by most former Soviet nations, but criticized opponents of reform in Russia for restricting the rights of Russian citizens. "Other actions by the Russian government have been counter-productive and could begin to affect relations with other countries."

Cheney said Russia has nothing to fear and everything to gain by returning to democratic reform. 

 
Richard Weitz
  
Richard Weitz, a Russia expert at the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC, said Cheney's comments underscore America's commitment to a democratic Russia.

"This was a very useful opportunity.  It was in a location right adjacent to Russia.  Very senior level attendees.  It was the Vice President, rather than the President himself.  It was not as aggressive an escalation⁸ as could theoretically have taken place. But it certainly was a major statement." 

Cheney also criticized Russia's decision to cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine earlier this year during a pricing dispute.  "No legitimate⁹ interests are served when oil and gas become tools of intimidation¹⁰ or blackmail¹¹, either by supply manipulation or attempts to monopolize¹² transportation. And no one can justify¹³ actions that undermine the territorial¹⁴ integrity of a neighbor."

Mr. Weitz said Russian energy is a pillar of 21st century Russian foreign policy, much as its military power was in the 19th century and its nuclear capabilities¹⁵ were during the Cold War.  "Energy is actually a very useful tool.  So it is almost natural that they are going to use that to influence their foreign policy and to obtain the objectives that they want."

Sergei Lavrov  
  
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov refused to comment directly on Moscow media reports that Cheney's comments signal a new Cold War.  Instead, he criticized the forum at which Cheney spoke.   "There are forums¹⁶ which, when looking at their work, create an impression that they are convened¹⁷ not according to principles I mentioned before (to reflect the desire of the states and to pool their efforts to achieve common benefits) but for the sake of uniting against someone."

Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, who hosted the summit, denied the meeting was anti-Russian. 

Observers believe the rhetoric¹⁸ against Russia's record on democracy will continue.  President Bush is expected to raise the issue when he meets with Russian President Putin at the annual summit meeting of the Group of Eight Nations in St. Petersburg this July.  

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

3 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

4 reverberated   

回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射

参考例句：

• Her voice reverberated around the hall. 她的声音在大厅里回荡。
• The roar of guns reverberated in the valley. 炮声响彻山谷。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

7 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

8 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

11 blackmail   

n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓

参考例句：

• She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
• The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。

12 monopolize   

v.垄断，独占，专营

参考例句：

• She tried to monopolize his time.她想独占他的时间。
• They are controlling so much cocoa that they are virtually monopolizing the market.他们控制了大量的可可粉，因此他们几乎垄断了整个市场。

13 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

14 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

15 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

16 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

17 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

18 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。