VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Administration Signals Thaw in Relations

Vice¹ President Joe Biden gave a hint to the Obama administration's attitude toward relations with Russia in a Feb. 7 foreign policy speech in Munich, Germany.
　
US Vice President Joe Biden addresses International Conference on Security Policy in Munich, 07 Feb 2009

Many analysts² agree that after eight years of the Bush administration, relations between the United States and Russia are not good. Those relations, experts say, have been steadily³ deteriorating⁴.

But during a speech to an international gathering⁵ in Munich earlier this month, Vice President Joe Biden signaled a willingness to end that downward spiral.

"It's time - to paraphrase⁶ President Obama - it's time to press the reset⁷ button," he said. "And to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia."

Marshall Goldman from Harvard University, says Mr. Biden's speech set a new tone for relations between Washington and Moscow.

"When you say 'reset' that means you clear the computer and that opens up all kinds of new opportunities and you're not going to be held back by past commitments which have been controversial," he said. "This provides an opportunity that maybe only a new administration could do because they don't have to be held down by complications that arose under the past government."

One of those complications, experts say, is the Bush administration's plan to put a missile defense⁸ shield in Eastern Europe, which is vehemently⁹ opposed by Russia.

Joe Biden addressed that issue in his Munich speech.

"We will continue to develop missile defenses to counter a growing Iranian capability¹⁰, provided the technology is proven and is cost effective," he said. "We will do so in consultation¹¹ with our NATO allies and with Russia."

Robert Legvold from Columbia University says it's a departure from the Bush administration's view to go ahead with the defense shield whether it's feasible or not.
　
US Vice President Joe Biden, left, meets with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Sergei Ivanov in Munich, 08 Feb 2009

"The basic position is we're not going forward with this unless it's technologically¹² feasible and unless it's something that we can get agreement with at least the allies," he said. "And in doing so, we also want to consult the Russians. It's also my impression that in the separate conversation that Vice President Biden had with [Russian Deputy Prime Minister] Sergei Ivanov, that there were indications the U.S. would like to, whatever happens on ballistic missile defense, achieve an outcome that is acceptable to Russia and one that Russia buys into."

In his speech, Biden also said Washington and Moscow can cooperate in such areas as Afghanistan, cutting nuclear weapons arsenals¹³ and nuclear nonproliferation.

Mr. Biden said Russia and Washington will not agree on everything. But he said the two countries can disagree and still work together where interests coincide - and "they coincide in many places."

Experts say the speech was also important for what it did not address. For example, Robert Legvold says Mr. Biden did not mention speeding up Georgia and Ukraine's accession plans to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - or NATO.

"[That] both the United States and the Europeans had retreated from as of last December's NATO meeting," he said. "And I think it's very, very unlikely that anybody is going to want to return to a sped-up process as we move toward the 60th anniversary NATO meeting in early April. So I think the issue of both Georgia and Ukraine in NATO is off the table for the time being. In principle it's not off permanently¹⁴, but I think it's off the table for now."

Senior Russian officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, reacted positively¹⁵ to the vice president's speech. But in an interview with the Russia Today television program, Ivanov was more cautious.

"From my previous experience - I'm 56 already - I saw a lot of thaws," he said. "I saw a lot of good intentions which ended nowhere. I hope this time it won't be the case."

Analysts say it was important for the Obama administration to early on set out the broad outlines of a Russia policy. Having done that, experts say now is the time to fill in the blanks and build on the positive tone set out in Joe Biden's Munich speech.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 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。

3 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。

4 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

5 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

6 paraphrase   

vt.将…释义，改写；n.释义，意义

参考例句：

• You may read the prose paraphrase of this poem.你可以看一下这首诗的散文释义。
• Paraphrase the following sentences or parts of sentences using your own words.用你自己的话解释下面的句子或句子的一部分。

7 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

8 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。

9 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

10 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

11 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

12 technologically   

ad.技术上地

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a technologically advanced city. 上海是中国的一个技术先进的城市。
• Many senior managers are technologically illiterate. 许多高级经理都对技术知之甚少。

13 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

14 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

15 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。