U.S. VP calls for early passage of new START
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- As part of the Obama administration's continued efforts, U.S. Vice 1 President Joe Biden on Wednesday wrote about the urgency to pass this year in the Senate the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) signed with Russia in April.
"In September 2009, when President (Barack) Obama decided 2 to alter his predecessor's plans for missile defense 3 in Europe, some critics claimed that we had sacrificed our allies in the interest of the 'reset 4' with Russia," Biden wrote in The Wall Street Journal. "Others thought that we would derail the reset by proceeding 5 with the new plan. The skeptics were wrong on both counts."He argued that at NATO's summit in Lisbon, Portugal last weekend, President Obama united Europe behind U.S. missile-defense plans and received "strong support" for the new START treaty that is awaiting ratification 6 in the Senate. "In doing so, he proved that missile defense and arms control can proceed hand-in-hand," the vice president added.
He was addressing concerns of some Republican senators that the pact 7 would limit U.S. missile defense programs.
He dwelled on the changes taking place in U.S.-Europe relations after two years of intensive diplomacy 8, citing examples like the positive atmosphere in Lisbon and the "substantial progress" on priorities like missile defense, arms control and the Russia reset.
"NATO's adoption 9 of territorial 10 missile defense as a new mission shows that President Obama has rebuilt the alliance's underlying 11 consensus 12 about the threats we face and how to meet them," Biden wrote. "The U.S. contribution to this effort will be the European Phased Adaptive Approach, which will include Aegis 13 ships capable of ballistic missile defense, a forward-based radar 14, and land-based SM-3 interceptor sites in Romania and Poland.""NATO missile defense also provides the opportunity for further improvements in both NATO-Russian and U.S.-Russian relations. NATO and Russia agreed at Lisbon to carry out a joint 15 ballistic missile threat assessment 16, to resume theater missile-defense exercises, and to explore further cooperation on territorial missile defense - - things that were nearly unimaginable two years ago," he wrote.
The new START treaty is seen as a major achievement of the Obama administration in foreign relations and part of its efforts to reset relations with Russia.
The treaty stipulates 17 that the number of nuclear warheads be reduced to 1,550 on each side over seven years, while the number of delivery vehicles, both deployed 18 and non-deployed, must not exceed 800. It also sets out rules for verification and monitoring of the nuclear arsenals 19 on both sides.
When signing the pact in Prague, Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medevedev agreed that the ratification process should be simultaneous at U.S. Senate and Russia's Duma.
Obama and other high-ranking officials have warned time and again that delayed passage of the pact would, among others, undercut warming relations with Russia and weaken its cooperation on key issues like Iran.
"These agreements underscore the strategic importance the alliance attaches to improving its relationship with Russia, but trust and confidence in our relationship with Russia would be undermined without Senate approval of the new START treaty, which reduces strategic nuclear forces to levels not seen since the 1950s, and restores important verification mechanisms 20 that ceased when the first START treaty expired last December," Biden wrote in the paper.
He said: "European leaders understand that new START advances their security as well as America's, and that is an important foundation for future negotiations 21 on conventional forces and tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. That is why all 27 of our NATO allies expressed their desire to see the treaty's early ratification."Stressing the pact as a "cornerstone" of U.S. efforts to reset relations with Russia, Biden pointed 22 to Russia's cooperation on strong sanctions against and cancellation 23 of the sale of an advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Iran. He also stressed Russian permission of flow of material through its territory for U. S. troops in Afghanistan.
"The Lisbon summit showed that American leadership in Europe remains 24 essential, it also reminded us why the stakes of the new START treaty are so high," the vice president wrote. "Our uniformed military supports it. Our European allies support it. Our national security interests are at stake. It is time for the Senate to approve new START."（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）
- He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
- They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
- 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。
- As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
- He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。
- This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
- The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
- The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
- The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。
- The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
- The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。
- The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
- This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。
- An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
- The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。
- The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
- They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。
- The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
- This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。
- Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
- What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？
- Medical supplies are flied in under the aegis of the red cross.在红十字会的保护下，正在空运进医药用品。
- The space programme will continue under the aegis of the armed forces.这项太空计划将以武装部队作后盾继续进行。
- 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。
- I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
- We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。
- This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
- What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？
- The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句
- 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。
- We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句
- Arsenals are factories that produce weapons. 军工厂是生产武器的工厂。 来自互联网
- The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
- Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
- He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
- She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
- Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
- Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。