2007年VOA标准英语-Russian President Keeps Low Profile in Ukrainia

By Andre de Nesnera
Washington
17 April 2007

Ukraine is in the midst of a constitutional crisis - the most serious since the days of the 2004 "Orange Revolution." At that time, Russia was very much involved in what was happening to its neighbor. In this report from Washington, Senior Correspondent André de Nesnera looks at Moscow's role in the current political confrontation¹.

PM Viktor Yanukovych attends an extraordinary session of his cabinet in Kiev, 02 Apr 2007

The current political struggle in Ukraine involves two bitter political rivals: President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, whose coalition² is the largest in the 450-member parliament - or Rada.

Earlier this month, Yushchenko dissolved parliament and called for new elections next month. The Ukrainian president made the move after 11 lawmakers defected to Yanukovich's bloc³, bringing him closer to the 300-seat majority needed to override⁴ a presidential veto. But Yanukovich has described the move as unconstitutional. Ukraine's constitutional court is now trying to resolve the issue.

The two men have a history of political confrontation.

Yushchenko was elected president in 2004 after hundreds of thousands of his supporters took to the streets to protest the results of an earlier election declared fraudulent by the Ukrainain Supreme⁵ Court. That massive protest became known as the "Orange Revolution," named after Yushchenko's signature color. The man he defeated for the presidency⁶ was Viktor Yanukovich.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was deeply involved in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election. In an apparent effort to sway Ukrainian voters, he traveled twice to the country and openly praised Yanukovich.

Robert Legvold, a Ukraine and Russia expert at Columbia University in New York says this time around, Mr. Putin has kept out of Ukraine's political crisis - at least publicly. Legvold says even Yanukovich has tempered his pro-Russian stance.

Vladimir Putin (file photo)

"He has been very clear that he's not turning to, leaning on or 'the cat's paw' [messenger] of Moscow," he said. "He hasn't even had a conversation with Putin. Instead, he's the one who's talked about western mediation⁷ or some east-west mediation that would involve countries like Austria or even Poland on the one hand and maybe Russia on the other hand. And Putin has been relatively⁸ quiet. He's learned something of a lesson."

However, Legvold says other Russian political leaders - such as those in the Duma, or parliament - have openly expressed their views about Ukraine's current political crisis.

David Marples, a Ukraine expert at the University of Alberta, says their views are biased⁹.

"The Russian Duma has already condemned¹⁰ Yshchenko's decision as unconstitutional, which I think is quite remarkable," he said. "If you can imagine the reverse taking place and the Ukrainian parliament condemning¹¹ something that Vladimir Putin had done - it wouldn't happen. So Vladimir Putin made a major error by clearly intervening in the Ukrainian political crisis [of 2004]. Subsequently, he has been much more careful. I think there are elements in the Russian Duma that are not so careful and feel that Ukraine is really part of their heritage and they are very much concerned with what happens in Ukraine. And there, it's very partisan¹² - very pro-Yanukovich, very anti-Yushchenko. So a very one-sided perspective."

Some Russian commentators¹³ have noted¹⁴ similarities between President Boris Yeltsin's October 1993 stand-off with parliament, which ended with Yeltsin's bombing of the parliament building.

Margarita Balmaceda, a Ukraine expert at Seton Hall University in New Jersey¹⁵, says there are superficial similarities in that it is a confrontation between Ukraine's president and parliament.

"But nobody in Ukraine today is interested in a violent solution to the crisis and there is no likelihood at all that there may be any kind of bombing of the Rada [parliament] or anything like that," she said. "So - there might be some parallels, but I think Ukraine has learned from the Russian experience. And those images of the Russian parliament being shelled by Yeltsin forces - this is not going to happen in Ukraine. None of the sides wants this to happen."

Analysts¹⁶ say President Yushchenko cannot afford to use force against Ukrainian lawmakers because that would be a devastating¹⁷ blow to Ukraine's budding democracy.

1 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 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。

4 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 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。

7 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

8 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。

9 biased   

a.有偏见的

参考例句：

• a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校
• The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。

10 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

11 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

13 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 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。

15 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

16 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。

17 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。