voa标准英语2008-NATO, Russia Meet for First Time After Georgia I

NATO and Russia held their first high-level talks Friday since Moscow invaded Georgia in August, sparking international criticism.
　

Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, gives a press conference in Brussels, 19 Dec 2008

The lunchtime talks took place between NATO's secretary general Jaap de Hoop¹ Scheffer and Russia's ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin. NATO suspended its special relationship with Moscow - a framework known as the NATO-Russia Council - after the Georgian conflict four months ago. But earlier this month, NATO foreign ministers agreed to slowly resume dialogue with Russia.

Friday's talks follow other efforts on the part of the European Union and the United States to resume talks with Moscow. Clara O'Donnell, a defense² expert a the Center for European Reform in London, said there was a feeling on the part of NATO members that it was a mistake to break contact with Russia.

"There was a feeling that there was a certain lack of strategy on how to go forward. There was a realization³ that everybody else had started talking to Russia again, and NATO was the organization that wasn't," she said.

O'Donnell said even during the height of the Cold War between the West and the former Soviet⁴ Union, the two sides talked together. The reason, she said, is simple.

"NATO and Russia need each other. Or more to the point, the countries within NATO and [Russia] need each other. The two groups are very interdependent on energy issues and many geopolitical issues - if we're talking about Afghanistan, the Balkans, Iran, these are all issues that if the Europeans and americans want to solve them, they need Russia's help," said O'Donnell.

Besides the August conflict, the two sides are at odds⁵ over other issues - notably⁶ the possibility of Georgia and Ukraine joining NATO. Russia also opposes U.S. plans for an anti-missile defense shield in eastern Europe. There is talk about improving and revamping relations on both sides, but O'Donnell, for one, does not count on any big changes in the immediate⁷ future. It will also depend partly on the upcoming administration of president-elect Barack Obama in Washington.

1 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。

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 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

4 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。

5 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

6 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。