2007年VOA标准英语-US Reiterates Missile-Defense Plan Not Directed

By David Gollust
State Department
15 February 2007

The Bush administration reiterated¹ Thursday that the missile defense² system it plans to build in central Europe is not directed against Russia. The comments follow a reported warning that Moscow might withdraw from a Cold War-era arms reduction agreement if the U.S. plans go forward. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Officials here say Russia has been consulted at various levels about the U.S. missile-defense plans and intentions, and they say they are puzzled by the repeated caustic³ comments about the envisaged⁴ system from Moscow.

The Bush administration announced last month it was opening formal negotiations⁵ with Poland and the Czech Republic about basing elements of an anti-ballistic missile system in those countries.

That system, officials said, would be aimed at protecting Europe and the United States from single missile firings or small salvos of ballistic missiles from so-called rogue⁶ states, and could in no way neutralize⁷ or threaten Russia's large nuclear deterrent⁸ forces.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin, at both his February 1 Moscow news conference and policy speech in Munich the following week, denounced the U.S. plans and pledged to adopt a highly effective response.

 
General Yuri Baluyevsky (Oct 2006)
Thursday, Russian news agencies quoted the chief of Russia's military general staff, General Yuri Baluyevsky, as saying Moscow might pull out of the 1987 accord limiting intermediate-range missiles in Europe if the anti-missile system is built.

In a talk with reporters, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said he did not know if the latest Russian warning had been formally conveyed to the United States, but he reiterated the anti-missile plan poses no threat to Moscow.

 
Sean McCormack

"The missile-defense plans and deployments are in no way aimed at Russia," he said. "They are instead designed to help protect the United States and its friends and allies from the possible launch of missiles from rogue states such as Iran."

"We have in fact offered to cooperate with Russia on missile defense issues. That offer of cooperation still stands. I know the Russians have had a reaction to this. I can't tell you exactly why, but it is not for a lack of [U.S.] explanation and assurances," he added.

Under the U.S. plan, a battery of about 10 interceptor missiles would be based in Poland and linked to a sophisticated anti-missile radar¹⁰ system in the neighboring Czech Republic.

U.S. defense officials say the deployment⁹ would most likely occur by 2012, when they believe Iran might attain¹¹ a long-range missile strike capability¹².

Soon after President Bush took office in 2001, his administration stepped-up efforts to develop a limited anti-missile capability, elements of which are under construction in Alaska.

Domestic opponents of the multi-billion dollar program in Congress and elsewhere say it is destabilizing and unlikely to be operationally effective.

1 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

2 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。

3 caustic   

adj.刻薄的，腐蚀性的

参考例句：

• He opened his mouth to make a caustic retort.他张嘴开始进行刻薄的反击。
• He enjoys making caustic remarks about other people.他喜欢挖苦别人。

4 envisaged   

想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
• Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。

5 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。

6 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

7 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

8 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

9 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

10 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

11 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

12 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。