VOA标准英语2009年-US, India Hope for Cooperation on Global T

By Ravi Khanna
Washington
19 September 2009

World trade and climate change are the two most prominent issues at the summit talks in Pittsburgh Thursday and Friday of the G-20, the influential¹ group that brings together key members of the developing world and the big economic powers. Agreements on trade and global warming have been out of reach so far, at least in part because of differences between the United States and India. But rapidly improving relations between New Delhi and Washington makes future progress on those issues seem more possible.

 
US President Barack Obama (L) and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (R)
When Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Washington in November, he will be the first foreign head of government to make a state visit to the United States since President Barack Obama's inauguration².

Analysts³ and U.S. officials agree, the Obama administration sees India not only as an emerging economic power, but also as a strategic partner to the U.S. on difficult issues such as a new global trade agreement.

"Whereas even a few years ago, when such cooperation was almost unimaginable, today the United States and India have an increasingly positive dialogue on nuclear non-proliferation, climate change and global trade," said Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake.

Climate change and global trade are two issues on which India and the United States have had serious differences in the past.

Last month India called trade ministers to a meeting in New Delhi about the stalled global trade dialogue, and they agreed that an agreement must be complete by 2010.

India's ambassador to Washington, Meera Shankar, says India had a genuine concern.

"There are important concerns which the Indian companies have about the growing protectionist trends within the U.S. and the use of non-tariff barriers, including various standards to keep out goods from the developing countries," she said. "So I think this is a two-way process."

India is also trying to work with the U.S. on how to deal with proposed limits on "greenhouse gas" emissions⁴, one of the major barriers to a new world climate-change treaty coming up at international talks in Copenhagen this December.

The U.S. wants India and others to agree to strict limits on carbon-dioxide emissions, but India refuses to accept terms that would endanger its rapid economic growth.

"India has to grow its energy basket [supply] anywhere between five to seven times in the next 20 years," she added. "In such a scenario⁵ an absolute reduction in emissions may become very challenging, and perhaps almost impossible."

U.S. diplomat⁶ Blake says the goal is not to limit India's growth, but to help it develop.

The U.S., he says, wants to work with India on clean energy technology and help make it a world leader in sustainable development.

"Through USAID assistance, clean coal technology projects and practices in Indian coal-fired power plants have reduced carbon emissions by over 90 million tons over the past eight years," he added.

Because of progress like this, Blake says he is hopeful that the strategic partnership⁷ between India and the United States will remove barriers to global accords on trade and climate change.

1 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

2 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

3 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。

4 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

5 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

6 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

7 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。