2007年VOA标准英语-Indonesia, Russia Sign Trade and Defense Deals

By Chad Bouchard
Jakarta
06 September 2007

Russian President Vladimir Putin stopped in Indonesia to finalize¹ a $1 billion defense² agreement and to strengthen economic ties. Chad Bouchard reports from Jakarta.

The defense package opens a line of credit that will allow Indonesia to buy Russian military equipment, including helicopters, tanks and submarines during the next 15 years.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, prior to their bilateral meeting in Jakarta, 06 Sep 2007

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's meeting with President Putin signals Indonesia's desire for military independence and its increasing role in the global economy.

The United States was once Indonesia's largest arms supplier, but cooperation was suspended in 1999 due to concern over human-rights abuses in East Timor.

That arms ban has since been lifted, but presidential spokesman Dino Pati Djalal says Indonesia wants to reduce its dependence⁴ on the United States.

"We want to diversify⁵ the sources of our equipment. Russia is offering us a generous package, and Russia also does not attach any conditions whatsoever⁶. Russia is all business and does not attach any political conditions and that is the way we like it, and that is why we took up the offer," he said.

The Russian leader was accompanied by a delegation⁷ of oil, energy, and banking⁸ officials.

The president is overseeing the signing of two contracts for Russian companies to upgrade mining and oil facilities in Indonesia.

Djalal says the leaders' talks also include ways to boost trade between the two nations.

"The trade relations are still very low at $680 million and that is minimal⁹ compared to the size of our economy. Russia is a $780-billion economy. Indonesia is about half of that. And there is much more we can do in terms of trade relations," added Djalal.

Mr. Putin's one-day visit is the first time a Russian or Soviet¹⁰ head of state has walked on Indonesian soil in nearly 50 years.

President Yudhoyono last met with Mr. Putin in Moscow in December 2006.

The Russian president made his visit to Jakarta while on the way to Sydney to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this week.

1 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 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。

4 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

5 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。

6 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

7 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

8 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

9 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

10 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。