VOA标准英语2008年-Rice Meets Polish Counterpart on Missile Defens

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met her Polish counterpart, Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, for more talks on a possible Polish role in a U.S. regional missile defense¹ system in Europe. Rice leaves Washington late Monday on a European mission to conclude a missile defense deal with the Czech Republic. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
　
Condoleezza Rice (file)

Secretary Rice met behind closed doors with Foreign Minister Sikorski in a last-minute effort to conclude a deal before her European mission, which U.S. officials at one point hoped would include a stop in Warsaw to sign an accord.

The United States wants to station 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an associated radar² system in the Czech Republic to counter what U.S. officials believe will be a long-range missile threat from Iran within a few years.

A tentative agreement with the Czech Republic was reached several weeks ago and Rice is expected to sign the agreement this week in Prague.

But negotiations³ with Poland have been difficult, with the Warsaw government pressing for the United States to underwrite a costly⁴ upgrade of the country's air defense system.

Last week, senior U.S. officials said a tentative accord had been reached, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk⁵ last Friday said the U.S. offer was unsatisfactory, although talks would continue.

In a talk with reporters, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack was cautious about prospects⁶ for finalizing⁷ an accord during Mr. Sikorski's Washington visit, which will also include talks with Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Rood.

"I do not comment on close or not close," he said. "othing is done until everything is done. It is not done. We continue to work on it. We know it is a big issue for the Polish government. It is an important issue for us. So we are devoting the time and energy to try to work through any issues that may exist on either side."

There have been press reports the Bush administration might turn to Lithuania as an alternate site for the interceptors if the Polish talks stalled, and U.S. officials have acknowledged contacts with the Baltic state on the issue.

Spokesman McCormack said the administration always has a fall-back plan, but said its energies remain focused on the talks with Poland.

Opinion polls indicate the proposed U.S. defense plan is politically unpopular in Poland and the Czech Republic, partly because of strong opposition⁸ from Russia, which contends the system would undercut its strategic missile deterrent⁹.

U.S. officials argue the 10 interceptors could not possibly threaten Russia's huge missile force and have offered to cooperate with Moscow on what they depict¹⁰ as a shared threat from Iran or other rogue-state missiles.

Rice's four-day European trip will take her to the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Georgia. It will be her first visit to Georgia as Secretary of State and McCormack said her focus will be on a peaceful resolution of tensions between Georgia and Russia over the separatist Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 tusk   

n.獠牙，长牙，象牙

参考例句：

• The wild boar had its tusk sunk deeply into a tree and howled desperately.野猪的獠牙陷在了树里，绝望地嗥叫着。
• A huge tusk decorated the wall of his study.他书房的墙上装饰着一支巨大的象牙。

6 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

7 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 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。

10 depict   

vt.描画，描绘；描写，描述

参考例句：

• I don't care to see plays or films that depict murders or violence.我不喜欢看描写谋杀或暴力的戏剧或电影。
• Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle,lovable creatures.儿童图书常常把农场的动物描写得温和而可爱。