VOA常速英语2007年-US Supports Diversification in Caspian Oil Mark

By Victoria Cavaliere
New York
17 November 2007

The Caspian region of Central Asia is home to some of the world's largest oil and gas discoveries in recent decades.  A top U.S. diplomat¹ says western countries are eager to expand capacity and production, and support plans to build a second pipeline² in the region.  But Russia and Iran, which border the Caspian basin, are critical of the project. VOA's Victoria Cavaliere has more details on the discussion Friday at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

In 2005, a pipeline moving oil from Baku, Azerbaijan, through Georgia to the Turkish port of Ceyhan began pumping up to one billion barrels of oil per day to the world market.  Investors³ say the 1,600 kilometers Baku pipeline unlocked access to some of the world's largest oil reserves.

The pipeline is supported by western countries and Azerbaijan, and bypassed Russia.  Moscow had previously⁴ controlled access and shipping⁵ of the region's crude oil.

Now, the European Union, Kazakhstan and the United States want to construct another pipeline that will also bypass Russia. The so-called "Trans-Caspian pipeline" would transport oil from the major Kazakhstani oilfield at Kashgan under the Caspian Sea, connecting with the Baku pipeline, drastically increasing output to western markets.

Evan Feigenbaum, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of South and Central Asia Affairs at the U.S. State Department, says former Soviet⁶ countries like Kazakstan and Turkmenistan have strong economic incentives⁷ to diversify⁸ their supply routes.

"Being independent means having options," he said.  "[It is] not just one pipeline, but more.  More than one pipeline. More than one market.  More than one trading partner. So, almost everything the United States is doing in this part of the world is designed to build capacity."

Turkmenistan has emerged as the untapped giant of Central Asian oil and gas reserves.  The country's new government says it supports the U.S-backed trans-Caspian pipeline project.

But during an October regional Caspian summit in Iran, Russian President Vladimir Putin said any future pipeline projects would need the approval of all nations in the region. 

Steve Levine, the author of The Oil and the Glory: The Pursuit of Empire and Fortune on the Caspian Sea, says Russian and Iranian objections to the pipeline are in part an effort to gain political capital with the West.

"Iran and Russia have formed an alliance of convenience on that issue, but meanwhile, Putin and Ahmadinejad are really enjoying poking⁹ their finger in the Western eye," he noted¹⁰.

Earlier this year, Turkmenistan's government held talks with Russia and Kazakhstan on plans to build a separate pipeline that will run north from the Caspian Sea.

Feigenbaum says the U.S and European nations are supporting Turkmenistan's bid to expand in all directions, and are not trying to shut out Russia.

"This is a region that has been oriented to the north and to the West," he said.  "I think we are mindful and respectful of that.   But it just so happens that the most dynamic economies of today happen to be to the east and to the south."

This week, Turkemenistan hosted an international oil and gas conference that drew some 500 international energy officials vying¹¹ for access to the nation's oil and gas reserves.

So far, the only concrete agreement Turkmenistan has signed is for a large pipeline to **.

1 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

2 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

3 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

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 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

8 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

9 poking   

n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
• He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

10 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。

11 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。