2006年VOA标准英语-Energy Issues Top Russia-EU Talks
时间：2019-02-05 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（十一月)
By Lisa McAdams
Moscow
03 November 2006
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, left, shares with Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja during a media conference, Nov. 3, 2006
Russia's foreign minister is meeting in Brussels with European Union officials ahead of a Russia-EU summit later this month. There is Western concern that Russia is using its massive energy riches as political blackmail 1 against former Soviet 2 Republics like Georgia is expected to feature high on the agenda.
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On the eve of the meeting, Russia's state-run gas monopoly, Gazprom, announced it plans to more than double the price it asks Georgia to pay for gas beginning in January.
The announcement brings back painful memories of last winter's gas dispute with Ukraine, when Gazprom briefly 3 halted the flow of gas to Kyiv in a bid to exact higher prices. That disruption halted supplies across much of Europe, and raised alarm bells in Western capitals over Russia's energy policy.
Gazprom's headquarters in Moscow, June 2006
Chief Strategist Chris Weafer of Moscow's Alfa Bank says he expects Russia will continue to play the energy card with Europe.
"They are pushing this broader economic/industrial agenda, which means that they want access to foreign markets for Russian companies," he said. "They want Russian companies to be able to buy equity 4 stakes in international companies across all industries. Europe has actually been resistant 5 to that up to now. And, I think, Russia is holding up this energy card as a sword of Damocles over Europe, to try and force this issue."
Weafer says Europe has demands of its own. Namely, he says, Europe wants Russia to agree to invest more in energy development, so that Russia can produce and export more energy to Europe.
In Brussels, Finland's foreign minister, Erkki Tuomioja, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana are hoping for more positive news from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the situation with Georgia.
Tbilisi is struggling under a full travel and trade blockade imposed by Moscow, after Georgia expelled four Russian military officers for alleged 6 spying in September. But most analysts 7 agree progress seems unlikely, given that the foreign ministers of Georgia and Russia failed to reach any breakthrough earlier this week, during the first high-level contacts in Moscow since the crisis began.
Georgia's foreign minister was quoted as saying that the price Georgia ultimately pays Gazprom for its gas will be the price it pays for aligning 8 itself with the West.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected criticism that Russia is playing politics with oil in Georgia, or elsewhere.
Strategist Weafer is skeptical 9.
"Obviously, the timing 10 is dictated 11 by political considerations. So, yes, long-term, Gazprom will sell gas at a higher price. But how quickly it does that, and in what steps to what countries, that will be based on political considerations, rather than economic considerations," said Weafer.
Meanwhile, Gazprom, which has to import gas from neighboring republics to meet its supply commitments, faces price hikes of its own. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan both recently said they would raise their gas export prices to Russia from $55 to $100 as of January.
- She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
- The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。
- Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
- Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。
- I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
- He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
- They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
- To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。
- Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
- They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。
- It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
- alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为
- City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
- I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。
- Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
- Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。
- The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
- The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。