VOA标准英语2008年-Russia's Ties with NATO Deteriorating

Despite long-standing¹ opposition² to NATO, Russia cooperated with the Western defense³ alliance on a number of military, political and humanitarian⁴ projects. But Russia says it feels threatened by NATO's eastward⁵ expansion and the prospect⁶ of possible Georgian and Ukrainian membership in the alliance. In the aftermath of recent hostilities⁷ in Georgia, Moscow has now frozen relations with NATO in a number of areas to protest Western support for Tbilisi. VOA Moscow correspondent Peter Fedynsky looks at the status of the troubled relationship and its implications for Georgian and Ukrainian NATO membership.
　
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Premier⁸ Vladimir Putin, second left, attend Security Council meeting in Sochi, 26 Aug 2008

On Monday, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said his country has no need for any illusions of partnership⁹ with NATO, adding it is only natural that Moscow does not like the eastward expansion of the alliance.

Mr. Medvedev says cooperation is above all in the interest of NATO countries, not Russia. The Kremlin leader says that if they break up cooperation, nothing bad will happen to Russia, which he says is prepared to terminate the relationship entirely¹⁰.

Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitri Rogozin, was recalled for consultations¹¹ with top Kremlin leaders, including President Medvedev. Speaking Tuesday at a news conference at the Interfax News Agency in Moscow, Rogozin said NATO appeared frozen in a Cold War Stone Age. He went on to announce what he termed as "the modernization¹²" of Russian-NATO relations, which includes termination or suspension activities related to military affairs.

Rogozin says visits to Russia by senior NATO military officials will be suspended, NATO naval¹³ vessels¹⁴ will not be allowed to visit Russian ports, and joint¹⁵ military exercises will be halted.

Rogozin also noted¹⁶ temporary suspension of visits by NATO military experts and instructors¹⁷, as well as work to develop a legal basis for the NATO-Russian relationship and operational compatibility of each other's forces. He said the suspensions would last at least through the end of the year.

At the same time, Rogozin said Moscow will not halt its political dialogue with NATO, and will also continue cooperating in such areas as drug interdiction¹⁸, detection of explosives at airports, the struggle against terrorism, natural disaster assistance, and other humanitarian endeavors.

Independent Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer told VOA that Moscow's move against NATO could actually refocus the attention of the alliance, which could work against Russian interests.

"We could see a serious strengthening of NATO actually performing its core mission of standing against the Russians and trying to roll back Russian influence in the former CIS. That's going to be the main issue," Felgenhauer said.

Russia is expressing concern about what it says is an increasing number of NATO navy ships in the Black Sea. Dmitri Rogozin suggests those ships could be delivering weapons, but concedes they may indeed be delivering humanitarian assistance for Georgia, including, in his dismissive terminology¹⁹, "toilet paper for Saakashvili."
　
US sailors unload humanitarian boxes on deck of guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul anchored in harbor of Batumi, western Georgia, 24 Aug. 2008

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Dallas and a destroyer, the USS McFaul, docked Tuesday in the Georgian port of Batumi. They were initially²⁰ scheduled to dock farther north in Poti, where Russia has since established a troop presence. U.S. officials say the vessels have brought blankets, hygiene²¹ supplies, baby food and infant care materials for people displaced by hostilities.

The deputy head of Russia's General Staff, General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, says the Black Sea has become a bit crowded.

Nogovitsyn says Russia is not planning to add any of its naval groups to the Black Sea, though he says there are enough resources to do so.

Analyst²² Pavel Felgenhauer notes that NATO does not pose a military threat to Russia but that its rulers fear the alliance for self-serving reasons.

"The worst scenario²³ for the Russian ruling elite²⁴ is the introduction of Western principles of responsible government, fair elections, and rule of law and so on, which will actually undermine the position of our corrupt²⁵ elite. And they don't want that," Felgenhauer said. "They were very much frightened by the so-called colored revolutions, democratic revolutions in Georgia and in Ukraine in '03 and '04."

Russian NATO envoy²⁶ Rogozin says poor relations between Russia and the alliance over Georgia remind him of tensions in Europe on the eve of World War I. He also compares Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili with Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip, who assassinated²⁷ Austrian Archduke Ferdinand and thus triggered World War I. Rogozin made the statement Tuesday in at least two different forums²⁸ - in an interview with Russia's RBK business daily and at his Interfax news conference, where he said the stakes today are much greater than merely Russian cooperation with the West.
　
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, talks to the media, as he visits the town of Gori, Georgia, 11 Aug 2008

He says there is another issue that shows how fragile the world is, when one person, such as Mr. Saakashvili, can take it upon himself to become a provocateur and upset the global system. Rogozin accuses the Georgian leader of trying to grab the laurels²⁹ of fame by provoking great nations into war just as Gavrilo Princip did.

Rogozin expresses hope that scenario will not come to pass, adding however, that Russian relations with NATO are complex.

Pavel Felgenhauer says the implication of Rogozin's statement is the prospect of World War III and a possible nuclear exchange. Felgenhauer notes, however, that all sides at the start of World War I thought hostilities would be brief and victorious³⁰, while the threat of nuclear annihilation today prompts everyone to avoid escalation³¹.

"And that is well understood here [Russia]. So there is more talk aimed at Western public opinion to frighten people who would agree, 'OK, we can give away Georgia, we don't know nothing much about Georgia, it's far off. Let the Russians have Georgia if that can help avoid a World War.' So I believe this is basically propaganda aimed at Western public opinion," Felgenhauer said.

Pavel Felgenhauer says Russian leadership is prepared for worsening relations with NATO and is counting on a divided response in Old Europe, and on China and other rising Asian powers to help create a multi-polar world that is more to the liking³² of the Kremlin. That, he says, would inflict³³ a strategic defeat upon the United States, which would end any hopes that Georgia and Ukraine have for NATO membership.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

5 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

6 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

7 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

8 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

9 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

10 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

11 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

13 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。

14 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 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。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

18 interdiction   

n.禁止；封锁

参考例句：

• the Customs Service's drug interdiction programs 海关的毒品查禁方案
• In addition to patrol duty, blastboats are dispatched for planetary defense and interdiction missions. 除了例行巡逻，炮艇还被赋予行星防御和封锁的任务。

19 terminology   

n.术语；专有名词

参考例句：

• He particularly criticized the terminology in the document.他特别批评了文件中使用的术语。
• The article uses rather specialized musical terminology.这篇文章用了相当专业的音乐术语。

20 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

21 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

22 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

23 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

24 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

25 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

26 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

27 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

28 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

29 laurels   

n.桂冠，荣誉

参考例句：

• The path was lined with laurels.小路两旁都种有月桂树。
• He reaped the laurels in the finals.他在决赛中荣膺冠军。

30 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

31 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

32 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

33 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。