2007年VOA标准英语-US Senators Visit Russia to Improve Global Arms

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscow
28 August 2007

Senator Richard Lugar and former Senator Sam Nunn, authors of U.S. legislation to reduce the post-Soviet¹ nuclear arsenal², are in Russia in an effort to further tighten³ global controls on weapons of mass destruction. VOA Moscow correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports.

Richard Lugar speaks in Moscow, 28 Aug 2007

Speaking Monday at a large public event in the U.S. ambassador's residence in Moscow, Senator Richard Lugar and Sam Nunn underscored the common interest and unique responsibilities the United States and Russia share as nuclear powers.

Nunn said bilateral⁴ interests in a healthy economy, citizenry, and environment, as well as a common vulnerability to catastrophic terrorism, should prompt the two countries to lead by example in reducing the threat of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological weapons.

"This alignment⁵ of our interests must lead to an alignment of our actions, or our vital interests will be lost in our non-vital disagreements," said Nunn. "Without joint⁶ actions, our citizens will gradually lose their perspective of the alignment of our interests, and the lack of public support for cooperative efforts will undermine even visionary political leadership."

adviser7 of the Russian Center of Political Studies Yevgeny Maslin, left, looks on, 28 Aug 2007<br />" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070901/1025471.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Sam Nunn, right, speaks in Moscow  as adviser of the Russian Center of Political Studies Yevgeny Maslin, left, looks on, 28 Aug 2007

Nunn called for both countries to reduce their nuclear arsenals⁸ and to remove weapons from hair trigger alert. He also urged improved procedures to verify compliance⁹ with weapons agreements and also to prevent more nations from acquiring nuclear weapons and enrichment capabilities¹⁰.

Senator Lugar said the U.S.-Russian experience in arms control will be critical to a successful diplomatic effort to prevent North Korea from becoming a nuclear power.

"Russia and the United States also must come together to address the threat posed by Iran's nuclear weapons program," said Lugar. "For too long our governments have sometimes been at odds¹¹ over how to respond to Tehran's behavior. The differences in our approaches have narrowed recently and there are prospects¹² for continued cooperation between Moscow and Washington within the U.N. Security Council."

Senator Lugar said another key to bilateral cooperation is Russian membership in the World Trade Organization. He said the cold war-era Jackson-Vanik Amendment¹³, which the United States used to link trade relations with human rights in the Soviet Union, no longer applies to Russia and should be revoked¹⁴.

Senator Lugar also noted¹⁵ a significant expansion of U.S.-Russian business ties, including a 20 percent increase in American exports to Russia last year to $4.7 billion. He said the improved business climate includes deepening cooperation on piracy¹⁶, counterfeiting¹⁷, border controls, pharmaceutical¹⁸ test data and intellectual property rights. 

Former Senator Nunn concluded his speech with a warning that the world today is in a race between cooperation and catastrophe¹⁹. He used an old saying to frame his call for cooperation, "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together."

1 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。

2 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。

3 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

4 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

5 alignment   

n.队列；结盟，联合

参考例句：

• The church should have no political alignment.教会不应与政治结盟。
• Britain formed a close alignment with Egypt in the last century.英国在上个世纪与埃及结成了紧密的联盟。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

8 arsenals   

n.兵工厂，军火库( arsenal的名词复数 )；任何事物的集成

参考例句：

• We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句
• Arsenals are factories that produce weapons. 军工厂是生产武器的工厂。 来自互联网

9 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

10 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

11 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

12 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

13 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

14 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

15 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。

16 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

17 counterfeiting   

n.伪造v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was sent to prison for counterfeiting five-dollar bills. 他因伪造5美元的钞票被捕入狱。 来自辞典例句
• National bureau released securities, certificates with security anti-counterfeiting paper technical standards. 国家质量技术监督局发布了证券、证件用安全性防伪纸张技术标准。 来自互联网

18 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

19 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。