VOA标准英语2008年-Russia Continues Quest to Claim Arctic

Russia is continuing its quest to claim the abundant resources of the Arctic, which may include vast undersea deposits of oil and gas. VOA Moscow Correspondent Peter Fedynsky reports that Kremlin leader Dmitri Medvedev is seeking to redefine the borders of Russia to secure the polar region as a 21st century resource base.
　
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

President Dmitri Medvedev told a Kremlin meeting of the National Security Council the task of securing Arctic resources is top Russian priority. Realizing it, he said, will require a number of special measures, including a sound legal basis to regulate Russian activities in the Arctic.

Mr. Medvedev says Russia must first finalize¹ and adopt a federal law on the southern border of Russia's Arctic zone, and soon after draw up terms to define the external limits of the continental² shelf. He underscores the strategic importance of this task.

The Arctic's potential mineral wealth has made it the subject of an international dispute. According to international law, nations may claim control of areas within 320 kilometers of their continental shelves.

Moscow maintains that a large undersea geological formation known as the Lomonosov Ridge³ is an extension of continental Russia. But National Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev acknowledges that other nations do not recognize the Russian claim.

Patrushev says Russia must defend its interests, but understands that Arctic countries, above all, Canada, Norway, Denmark, and the United States will defend their interests just as Russia does.

Denmark has been cooperating with Canada to argue the Lomonosov Ridge is an extension of North America.

Last year, a nuclear-powered ice breaker escorted a Russian research ship to the North Pole, and one of its mini-submarines planted the country's flag on the sea floor below.

President Medvedev told the Security Council that the Arctic could contain about one-fourth of the world's shelf-based hydrocarbon⁴ resources. He also noted⁵ that about 20 percent of Russia's gross domestic product and 22 percent of its exports are produced in its Arctic areas, where much of the country's rare and precious metals are extracted.

At the same time, the Kremlin leader said the poorly developed air and sea transport infrastructure⁶ in Russia's far northern regions are obstacles to realization⁷ of what he called the Arctic's rich investment potential.

Mr. Medvedev cautioned that the problems of Russia's Far North cannot be addressed by the federal budget alone and will require cooperation with business and local authorities. He also called attention to a critical need for development of modern communications and technologies to give Russia's northern residents opportunities for education, career advancement⁸, recreation, and health care.

 

1 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

2 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。

3 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。

4 hydrocarbon   

n.烃，碳氢化合物

参考例句：

• During incomplete combustion some of the hydrocarbon fuel is cracked.在不完全的燃烧中，一些烃燃料裂解。
• The hydrocarbon must be an alkene.这个碳氢化合物必定是烯烃。

5 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。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 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。

8 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。