VOA标准英语2009年-Obama: There is No Offer to Russia on Missile D

U.S. President Barack Obama said halting the nuclear weapons threat from Iran would reduce the need for a planned missile defense¹ shield in Eastern Europe. But Mr. Obama denied he has told Russia he will rethink the missile shield program if Moscow puts pressure on Tehran.
　
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (file photo)

The president said he brought up areas of mutual² concern in a recent letter to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev - including missile defense and Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"What we had was a lengthy³ letter talking about a whole range of issues - from nuclear proliferation to how are we going to deal with a set of common security concerns," he explained.

But Mr. Obama denied U.S. news reports that said he told the Russian leader that he would rethink the missile shield if Moscow got Tehran to stop developing nuclear and long-range weapons.

The president said there was no offer of action in the letter.

"It was simply a statement of fact that I have made previously⁴, which is that the missile defense program, to the extent that it is deployed⁶, is designed to deal with, not a Russian threat, but an Iranian threat," said the president.

Washington's plan to deploy⁵ missile interceptors in Poland and a radar⁷ installation in the Czech Republic has angered Moscow.

President Medvedev has said he is expecting some specific proposals from the Obama administration. And the subject is likely to be on the agenda when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meets Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Geneva on Friday.
　
Pres. Obama and British PM Brown walk from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, 03 March 2009

Speaking at the start of a meeting at the White House with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President Obama appeared optimistic that U.S- Russia relations will improve on his watch.

"My hope is we can have a constructive⁸ relationship where based on common respect and mutual interests we can move forward," he said.

At the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates talked about the need for Washington and Moscow to work together on Iran. He again raised the possibility of Russian cooperation on the missile defense program.

"The reality is that the missiles the Iranians are testing can reach a good part of Russia as well as Eastern Europe and part of Western Europe. The missiles cannot reach the United States yet. This is part of our commitment to a European missile defense," he said.

Gates stressed that the Obama administration's policies on Europe, Russia and missile defense remain under review.

President Obama has said he supports deployment⁹ of a missile shield, only if it would be effective and affordable¹⁰.

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 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

3 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

6 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

7 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。

8 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

9 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

10 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。