VOA标准英语2010年-Obama, Medvedev Set April Signing for

President Barack Obama makes a statement to reporters at the White House, after he phoned Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss the new START treaty, 26 Mar¹ 2010

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President Barack Obama says the new nuclear arms reduction treaty agreed to with Russia after intense negotiations² over the last year sends a strong signal that both nations are taking the lead in reducing nuclear weapons.  The president and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev set an April 8 date in Prague to sign the treaty, which would reduce the number of nuclear weapons on each side by about one-third.

 

Addressing reporters in the White House briefing room, President Obama said the agreement moves the world closer to the goal of a more secure future without such weapons, which he said represent both the darkest days of the Cold War, and the most troubling threats of our time.

"Today, we've taken another step forward by - in leaving behind the legacy³ of the 20th century while building a more secure future for our children," said President Obama.

Earlier in the day, the president spoke⁴ by phone with Russian President Medvedev, which the White House noted⁵ was the 14th direct meeting or phone conversation on the new treaty.

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), signed in 1991, expired in December, and President Obama set the goal of achieving a new treaty as one of his major priorities.

The new agreement would reduce the number of strategic nuclear arms of both sides by one-third and provide for full verification and monitoring.

Secretary of Defense⁶ Robert Gates said that while no one expects the world will achieve the goal of "zero nuclear weapons" anytime soon, the new treaty is a major step toward greater security with fewer nuclear weapons:

"It is clear that we can accomplish goals with fewer nuclear weapons," said Robert Gates. "The reductions in this treaty will not affect the strength of our nuclear triad, nor does this treaty limit plans to protect the U.S. and our allies by improving and deploying⁷ missile defense systems."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the new treaty is also a major step in the goal of "resetting⁹" the U.S.-Russia relationship, which includes efforts to deal with nuclear proliferation and terrorism.

"We were committed from the beginning to reset⁸ the U.S.- Russia relationship because we saw it as essential to making progress on our top priorities, from counter-terrorism, to nuclear security and nonproliferation," said Hillary Clinton.

Secretary Clinton said the U.S and Russia will continue to have disagreements, but added the treaty is an example of deep and substantive¹⁰ cooperation on a matter of vital importance.

The treaty will have to be ratified¹¹ both by Russia's Parliament and the U.S. Senate, something President Obama and his administration are committed to achieving.

The president met this week with two lawmakers who will play a key role in this, Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar, the chairman and ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as Mr. Obama hopes to pave the way for action in the coming months.

House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman voiced hope the new treaty will set an example for other nuclear powers and help strengthen global nonproliferation efforts "severely¹² threatened" by Iranian and North Korean efforts to acquire nuclear weapons.

Asked what the new treaty means for U.S-Russia cooperation on the Iranian nuclear issue, Secretary Clinton referred to recent in depth consultations¹³.  She said there will be increasing activity in the very near future aimed at achieving the votes needed in the U.N. Security Council for a package of sanctions on Iran.

In Russia, the announcement on the nuclear arms treaty was made by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a live nationwide television statement. 
 

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 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。

6 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。

7 deploying   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
• Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。

8 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。

9 resetting   

v.重新安放或安置( reset的现在分词 )；重拨（测量仪器指针）；为（考试、测试等）出一套新题；重新安置，将…恢复原位

参考例句：

• Range represents the maximum strain which can be recorded without resetting or replacing the strain gage. 量程表示无需重调或重装应变计就能记录到的最大应变。 来自辞典例句
• Adding weight to the puddle jumper by resetting its inertial dampeners. 通过调节飞船的惯性装置来增加重量。 来自电影对白

10 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

11 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

12 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

13 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》