VOA标准英语2009年-Russia Blames Ukraine for Europe's Gas Shortage
时间：2019-02-06 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2009年(一月)
Gas pressure gauge 3 on the main gas pipeline from Russia in the village of Boyarka, Ukraine,03 Jan 2009
There is concern that many European families will be very cold this winter.
Russia's energy giant, Gazprom, says several of its key customers in Eastern Europe and the Balkans are receiving less Russian natural gas since it closed the taps to Ukraine on New Year's Day because of unpaid 4 bills.
Gazprom's Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller 5 blames Russia's neighbor for the shortfall.
"Our European consumers in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Poland, and in the Balkans, are reporting unlicensed siphoning-off of Russian gas on Ukrainian territory," said Miller. "In this situation, Gazprom must provide additional volumes of gas through other gas transporting corridors."
Ukraine denies it is stealing from Russia's main pipeline to the West, saying there are technical reasons for Europe's natural gas reductions.
Ukraine's official on energy security, Bohdan Sokolovsky, has warned that Europe could face a bigger crisis within two weeks if Russia continues to halt natural gas deliveries to his country.
His comments were translated by Russia Today television.
"In around 10 days, there could be very serious technical problems," he said. "The transport of gas may be disrupted at some point and it will not be our fault."
Russia says natural gas shipments to Ukraine can resume only if it pays outstanding debts of more than two-billion dollars. Ukraine has pledged to pay only $1.5 billion.
In addition, Gazprom has raised the price of natural gas for Ukraine to $450 per 1,000 cubic meters - nearly twice the amount offered by Kyiv.
Gazprom and energy mediation 6 company RosUkrEnergo accuse Ukraine of trying to blackmail 7 the Russian gas producer into lowering prices.
RosUkrEnergo's Board of Directors member Hans Baumgartner says they are suing the Ukrainian government over the dispute.
"RosUkrEnergo itself filed two claims against Ukraine," he said. "To ensure gas transportation to Western Europe."
Ukraine has urged the European Union to mediate 8. Europe receives about a quarter of its gas supplies from Russia, but it has been reluctant to become involved in the Ukrainian-Russian dispute.
But the Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency 9, has called a special meeting of envoys 10 from all 27 member states to discuss the crisis on Monday in Prague.
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- The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。
- The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
- A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。
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- It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。
- Doctors work excessive unpaid overtime.医生过度加班却无报酬。
- He's doing a month's unpaid work experience with an engineering firm.他正在一家工程公司无偿工作一个月以获得工作经验。
- Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
- The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。
- The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
- The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。
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- The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
- They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。
- Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
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