VOA常速英语2008年-Gates Says US Committed to Stronger Ties with I

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
27 February 2008

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates, on a visit aimed at increasing U.S.-Indian strategic relations, has told officials in New Delhi that Washington's commitment to a deeper relationship with India is not likely to change no matter who the next American president is. Gates also repeated his hope that the current Turkish incursion into northern Iraq is short and narrowly focused. VOA's Steve Herman reports from the Indian capital.

The U.S. defense secretary says he told India's leaders that whether a Democrat² or Republican succeeds President Bush in the White House, the next U.S. administration will not change course when it comes to the growing partnership³ between India and the United States.

"The steadily⁴ improving relationship with India is one that will continue regardless of who is elected President in the United States in November," Gates said. "I think there is very broad bi-partisan support in the United States for continuing to expand this relationship between the world's two biggest democracies."

As a sign of India's changing strategic outlook, New Delhi has moved away from almost exclusive reliance on Moscow for its military hardware.

Russia still supplies much of the armaments and technology for India's military, but U.S. and European companies are currently in competition with a Russian manufacturer for the sale of 126 jet fighters to India.

Formal bidding for the $10 billion fighter contract is scheduled to close next Monday, and two American defense contractors⁵ got a boost for their bid Wednesday from Defense Secretary Gates.

He pitched the attributes of Boeing and Lockheed Martin aircraft during his meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defense Minister A.K. Antony and other top Indian government officials.

"I indicated that we obviously are interested and believe that we are very competitive in the selection of the new fighter, the multi-role combat fighter, here in India and that we ask no special treatment," Gates said. "We simply are pleased to have a place at the table and we believe in a fair competition that we have a very good case to make."

Gates said he would tell Turkish leaders in Ankara Thursday that their five-day-old incursion into Iraq in pursuit of Kurdish separatists should to be short and narrowly focused.

"I measure quick in terms of days, a week or two, something like that. Not months," he said.

Gates, speaking to reporters here Wednesday, called on Turkey not to rely only on military means to combat disaffection by the country's Kurdish population.

1 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。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

5 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》