俄罗斯，乌克兰承诺推进两国关系

 　　俄罗斯，乌克兰承诺推进两国关系

　　MOSCOW, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday Russia and Ukraine should make concerted efforts to boost relations.

　　During a meeting of the inter-government commission with his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovich, Putin said the time had come to undertake "active measures" to create conditions for bilateral¹ ties.

　　Russia and Ukraine could cooperate in such fields as energy, machine-building, space and aviation, he said.

　　"Today, we've got all the chances to create and strengthen the legal base (of cooperation), and to create all the conditions for trade and economic links between Russia and Ukraine," Putin said.

　　Yanukovich agreed bilateral cooperation required "urgent intervention²" and coordination³ with other member nations of the Commonwealth⁴ of Independent States, a regional association of former Soviet⁵ republics founded in 1991.

　　"A free trade zone must start working in full," he said, citing the tough economic situation of many Ukrainian enterprises which would need to become joint⁶ ventures with Russian businesses.

　　Ukraine, with a heavy 134-billion-U.S. dollar external debt, is struggling to keep its economy going.

　　The Russia-Ukraine inter-government commission was founded in May 2005 by Putin and then Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko. Tuesday's meeting came amid widespread protests in Ukraine since the end of November over Kiev's decision to pull out from a trade and association agreement with the European Union (EU).

　　Russia was cautious about the enlargement ambition of the 28-member bloc⁷, which is competing with Moscow for the future of its eastern neighbors.

　　Last week, European Commissioner⁸ for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule said the EU is standing⁹ ready to help and support Ukraine, adding the bloc is also willing to use its dialogue with Russia to clarify that the agreement with Ukraine will not harm Russia's economic interests.

　　During a visit to Kiev, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton also called on Ukrainian authorities to establish an open dialogue with society to ease the escalating¹⁰ political crisis.

1 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。

2 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

3 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

4 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

5 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。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

8 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

9 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

10 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句