VOA标准英语2009年-Clinton Meets with Russian Counterpart After NA

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wrapped up talks in Brussels, where she attended a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. She is now Geneva for discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It seems the two sides have much to talk about.
　
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talks to reporters in Brussels, 06 Mar¹ 2009

Secretary Clinton was among those NATO ministers endorsing² a resumption of high-level talks with the Russians, despite serious reservations expressed by some East European members.

In the end, those in favor won out and formal contacts within the Russia-NATO Council are to resume and a ministerial level meeting was announced as likely in the coming months.

Clinton tried to reassure³ those who remain wary⁴ of a dialogue with Russia, saying U.S. policy is clear.

"The United States will not recognize any nation having a sphere of influence over any other nation," Clinton said. "I reiterated⁵ again in our meetings with Ukraine and Georgia, the United States' firm commitment to each of those nations moving toward NATO membership and our equally strong commitment to work with them along with NATO that they should not be the subject of Russian intimidation⁶ or aggression⁷."

NATO's eastward⁸ expansion and the prospect⁹ of Georgia and Ukraine joining the Western alliance have angered Russia. Moscow's use of harsh military force against Georgia last August was widely seen as a warning against any further western encroachment¹⁰ into what Moscow considers its backyard.

Russia's quick recognition of independence claims by the Georgian breakaway enclaves of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and possible plans for Russian military bases there have in turn angered the West.

NATO officials say the differences with Moscow are many, but should be discussed openly.

Secretary Clinton said one of the issues on the table for her meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva is the contentious¹¹ one of U.S. plans for a missile defense¹² system, partly based in Eastern Europe.

"We've made the case to Russia time and again and I will make it once more in Geneva, that Europe has a right to defend itself from the new threats of the 21st Century," she said.

Moscow sees missile defense as being aimed at Russia; the U.S. says the system is meant to guard against attacks by terrorist networks or regimes such as Iran.

Iran's nuclear ambitions and the need for concerted international pressure to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons are also expected to come up.

"We will also raise with Russia their continuing discussions with Iran about selling longer-range missiles, which we think are a threat to Russia as well as to Europe and neighbors in the region," Clinton said.

Clinton said the offer for Russia to work with the U.S. on missile defense still stands.

But, Clinton also noted¹³ many areas of common ground between the United States and NATO and Russia, including cooperation on Afghanistan, working together to combat terrorism, narcotics¹⁴ trafficking and piracy¹⁵.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 endorsing   

v.赞同( endorse的现在分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• Yet Communist leaders are also publicly endorsing religion in an unprecedented way. 不过，共产党领导层对宗教信仰的公开认可也是以前不曾有过的。 来自互联网
• Connecticut Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman is endorsing Republican Senator John McCain. 康涅狄格州独立派参议员约瑟夫。列波曼将会票选共和议员约翰。麦凯恩。 来自互联网

3 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

4 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

5 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

6 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

7 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

8 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。

9 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。

10 encroachment   

n.侵入，蚕食

参考例句：

• I resent the encroachment on my time.我讨厌别人侵占我的时间。
• The eagle broke away and defiantly continued its encroachment.此时雕挣脱开对方，继续强行入侵。

11 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

12 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。

13 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。

14 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。