2007年VOA标准英语-Russia Seeks to Claim Arctic Mineral Wealth

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscow
26 July 2007

A Russian naval¹ expedition is sailing toward the North Pole to explore the bottom of the Arctic Ocean in an effort to stake Moscow's claim to territory that may contain significant undersea deposits of oil and natural gas.  VOA Correspondent Peter Fedynsky has this report from the Russian capital.

The Academic Fyodorov resumed its voyage toward the North Pole on Thursday, after an engine failure left the research ship stranded² for one day in the Barents Sea.  The vessel³ set sail Tuesday from the northern Russian port of Murmansk.  A nuclear-powered icebreaker is clearing the way for the Academic Fyodorov.

The ship's mission is to prove that large areas of the Arctic belong to Russia. Moscow contends that a large undersea geological formation in the area, known as the Lomonosov Ridge⁴, is an extension of continental⁵ Russia.  According to international law, nations may claim control of areas within 320 kilometers of their continental shelves. 

The Arctic until now has been considered international territory.  Nations with land bordering the Arctic Ocean, including the United States, reject Moscow's contention⁶ that the area could belong to Russia.  Denmark, which controls Greenland, is cooperating with Canada in arguing that the Lomonosov Ridge is an extension of North America, not Russia.

Russian television journalists and two members of the Russian parliament are on board the Arctic-bound ship.  In remarks televised from the expedition, lawmaker Artur Chilingarov questioned competing claims.

maritime7 passage that runs across the top of Russia from the Bering Straits to the north Atlantic due to global warming (12 July 2007 file photo in Russia's Chukotka region)" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070728/1102571.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

There is growing optimism about the Arctic maritime passage that runs across the top of Russia from the Bering Straits to the north Atlantic due to global warming (12 July 2007 file photo from Russia's Chukotka region)

The lawmaker says Russia should prove that the ridge is Russian, that there is a northern border to the Russian shelf.  He adds that the issue should be resolved not by words or diplomats⁸, but rather by scientists working with deep-sea submersibles, which Russia has.

Russian scientists plan to explore the undersea terrain⁹ in two mini-submarines. 

At stake is ownership of vast deposits of oil and natural gas.  The area in question is larger than the combined territories of several European nations. 

Global warming is melting vast portions of the Arctic Ocean, which would make it easier to drill for oil and gas there.

1 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

2 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

3 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

4 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

5 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

6 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

7 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

8 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。