2006年VOA标准英语-Russia in Spotlight as Host of Next G-8 Summit

By Andre de Nesnera
Washington
15 June 2006
 
Leaders of the world's major industrialized democracies and Russia, known as the G-8, will meet next month (July 15-17) for the first time on Russian soil. 

G-8 finance ministers at Mikhailovsky castle in St. Petersburg, Russia
(File photo - June 10, 2006)  
  
Russia took over the rotating chairmanship of the G-8 in January and it will host the next summit in mid-July in St. Petersburg.

Marshal Goldman, an expert on Russia at Harvard University, says that event is extremely important for Russia and President Vladimir Putin.

"It's like a coming out party, if you will. They are going to come out on the stage and there is going to be an entrance to the club. They are going to be part of the major G-7 democratic and economically strong countries. And more than that, President Putin will be the chairman," said Goldman. "So this means that for the Russians, who continually crave¹ respect, want to be recognized for their accomplishments², want to be recognized as a superpower - this may not make them a superpower, but at least it makes them a G-8 power and that's very important to them."

But Andrew Kuchins, director of the Russia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says chairing the G-8 summit could turn out to be a double-edged sword for Russian leaders.

"Because the fact that they are chairing the G-8 summit has attracted a lot more attention to some of the questionable³ aspects of Russia's status as a member of the G-8. The most questionable one, of course, is that G-8 member countries are mature, developed democracies," he said. "And not only is Russia an immature⁴ democracy, but I think there are many people, including myself, who would argue that over the course of the last five or six years, Russia has become less democratic."

Experts say since assuming office in 2000, Mr. Putin has centralized power in the presidency⁵, weakened the strength of independent political parties and reined⁶ in the national media. And in January of this year, Moscow briefly⁷ turned off its natural gas supplies to Ukraine in a pricing dispute.

David Marples, an expert on Russia at Canada's University of Alberta (Edmonton), says that move had international ramifications⁸.

"Russia was really accused of using gas as a foreign policy weapon to put pressure on Ukraine," he added. "At the same time, the situation was made worse by the fact that Russian gas supplies go directly to western Europe, through Ukraine and Belarus and therefore there was some threat to the supplies to western Europe from Russia, meaning that Russia was no longer regarded as a reliable partner for the export of gas."

Russia's move briefly disrupted natural gas deliveries to Western Europe and brought international condemnation⁹.

In a strongly worded speech last month in Lithuania, Vice¹⁰ President Dick Cheney criticized Russian domestic policies. And he accused Moscow of using gas and oil "as tools of intimidation¹¹ and blackmail¹²" against neighboring states.

Robert Legvold, a Russia expert at Columbia University (New York), says energy issues will dominate the St. Petersburg summit.

"Putin has made plain that he does see their energy resources as a potential element within the arsenal¹³ of foreign policy and national security policy. And I think they need to be careful about not using that in a way that persuades the outside world that they use it primarily, or at critical points, for political purposes. Because that will undermine their credibility as to the reputation they want - which is a reliable supplier."

Legvold also says it will be interesting to see if the United States will continue to criticize Russia at the summit given Vice President Cheney's strong remarks in Vilnius last month.

"Was the Cheney speech simply a kind of opening shot for something that is going to continue? Or was it essentially¹⁴ a way of signing off on that issue, so that the president won't have to make an issue, won't have to raise it at the G-8. It's not clear," he said. "My understanding is they intend to make it an agenda item - but we'll have to see."

Many analysts¹⁵ say the last thing President Putin wants is for the St. Petersburg summit to turn into a forum¹⁶ for criticizing Russia. But those same experts also say Mr. Putin has little leverage¹⁷ to stop that from happening, if western nations decide to adopt that tactic¹⁸.

1 crave   

vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求

参考例句：

• Many young children crave attention.许多小孩子渴望得到关心。
• You may be craving for some fresh air.你可能很想呼吸呼吸新鲜空气。

2 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

4 immature   

adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的

参考例句：

• Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
• The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 reined   

勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理

参考例句：

• Then, all of a sudden, he reined up his tired horse. 这时，他突然把疲倦的马勒住了。
• The officer reined in his horse at a crossroads. 军官在十字路口勒住了马。

7 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

8 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

14 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

15 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。

16 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。

17 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

18 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。