1.«Ближневосточный конфликт унес сотни тысяч жизней, — заявил вчера представитель Белого дома. — Мировое сообщество должно сделать все возможное, чтобы вернуть конфликтующие стороны к переговорному процессу».
2.Предстоящий государственный визит президента России в Китай станет важнейшим событием года в отношениях двух стран и будет иметь огромное значение для дальнейшего развития отношений стратегического партнерства.
Между партнерами продолжает расти политическое доверие, углубляются торговоэкономические отношения2.
3.Президент США приветствует усилия японских дипломатов по установлению диалога с Северной Кореей. Ранее представитель госдепартамента3США сообщил,
что предложение американского президента о возобновлении «всеобъемлющего диалога» с Северной Кореей остается в силе4.
4.После установления двусторонних дипломатических контактов Япония обещает оказать КНДР экономическую помощь. Стороны подтвердили, что согласно международному праву не намерены предпринимать действия, которые угрожали бы безопасности друг друга.
5.Министр обороны США убежден в том, что Соединенным Штатам в случае принятия решения начать военную операцию против страны не придется проводить ее в одиночку. «Несколько стран уже добровольно предложили свою помощь», заявил глава Пентагона.
6.США готовы5 самостоятельно разоружить правящий там режим, но надеются, что иракская проблема будет урегулирована ООН.
SECTION B
I
1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words and phrases in the dictionary.
Managing the US-China-Russia triangle
Three powers stand out as the leading political and military players in the international system during the initial decades of the 21st century: the United States, Russia, and China. A revitalized Japan, a rising India and the European Union might also join those ranks, but that result is far from certain. For the moment, relations between Washington, Moscow and Beijing are of critical importance. How that «strategic triangle» is managed will determine whether the world avoids major war. At the present time, there is reason for cautious optimism, but there are also a few warning signals of potential trouble.
A delicate US-China relationship
The relationship between the United States and China has been turbulent in recent years. The US bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade during the Kosovo war in May 1999 brought relations to a crisis point, as did the collision between a US spy plane and a Chinese fighter plane in April 2001. The increasingly important trade and investment relationship between the two countries eased the tensions however.
The initial characterization of China as a «strategic competitor» by officials in the American administration also produced a wariness on both sides. The administration dropped that characterization after the April spy-plane incident, however, and relations seemed to improve steadily thereafter. Ties were strengthened further after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when China diplomatically supported the US war against terrorism and the United States came to regard China as an ally in that effort.
The Chinese government actually worked with the United States to gain cooperation from Beijing's longtime ally, Pakistan, in the war against Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban government in Afghanistan — despite the possibility of a long-term US military presence in Pakistan. And when the United States announced its withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in late 2001, Beijing's protests were muted, even though a US missile defense system would erode the credibility of China's small nuclear deterrent.
It is difficult to speculate about the motives for policy initiatives in a secretive, authoritarian political system like that of China. Nevertheless, several factors appeared to account for Beijing's unusual restraint.
First, the Chinese Communist Party elite wanted to avoid any international controversy. Second, China's leaders desperately needed to preserve and expand the economic relationship with the United States. The global economic slowdown, and especially the deepening recession in East Asia, has made the US market more crucial than ever. China felt that it could not let quarrels over other matters jeopardize access to that market. Finally, Chinese leaders were increasingly alarmed at the signs of a growing rapprochement between the United States and China's traditional rival. India. Beijing worries (with good reason) about the possible emergence of a US-Indian «strategic partnership» directed against China. The Chinese response to the warming relations between Washington and New Delhi has been to try to improve China's own relations with both capitals.
The turbulent US relationship with Russia
The relationship between Russia and the United States under the Bush administration had a very difficult start. Just weeks after Bush took office, the United Statesexpelled more than 50 Russian diplomats on charges of espionage. Moscow responded by expelling an equal number of US diplomats. Such issues as the further expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty also fueled tensions.
Gradually, though, the relationship seemed to improve. Moscow's reaction to the September 2001 terrorist attacks appeared to create an opportunity for improvement. Not only did the Russian president denounce the attacks, but he gave the United States substantive assistance in a variety of ways. Most crucially, Russia made it clear to the governments of the Central Asian republics that it did not object to a temporary US military presence in the region to wage the war in Afghanistan. Without Russia's approval, the United States would have found it far more difficult to gain the cooperation of those governments.
Russia helped the United States in other ways. For example, Moscow resisted the demand of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut its oil output to prevent a fall of global oil prices. As the world's second-largest oil producer, Russia had a crucial role to play. Instead of responding favorably to OPEC's requests, Moscow maintained production at high levels — a position favored by the United States.
How did the US administration reward Russia for its cooperation? One of the administration's first initiatives was to announce America's withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, which Moscow had long regarded as the centerpiece of its relationship with the United States on arms-control issues.
As if the withdrawal from the ABM Treaty weren't enough, US officials let it be known that the United States intended to maintain a long-term military presence in the Central Asian republics. This was a classic deceit, and Russian officials made it clear that they were not happy about Washington's action. Russia clearly prefers a close, cooperative relationship with the United States and is not willing to close the door on that possibility. But if Washington continues to take unfair advantage, Russia can and probably will pursue other options. Serious long-term damage will occur if the Russian people begin to see the United States as a hostile power that always attempts to take advantage of their country.
The third side of the strategic triangle
Cooperation between Russia and China has been building for several years. The bitter rivalry between Moscow and Beijing eased rapidly with the end of the Cold War, and by the China had become Russia's largest arms customer. By 1996, the leaders of the two countries were describing their relationship as a «strategic partnership». and it became routine for Russia and the People's Republic of China (PRC) to issue joint statements criticizing US policy on such issues as NATO expansion, the US-led military intervention in the Balkans, and the development of ballistic-missile defenses.
That cooperation has deepened on several levels. Politically, it is symbolized by the creation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The SCO, whose membership consists of Russia, China, and four Central Asian countries, has as its primary focus combating Islamic extremism. But an important secondary motive — as various SCO statements and communiquйs make clear — is to contain America's increasingly dominant position in Asia.
Russia and China clearly wish to avoid a confrontational relationship with the United States, if that is possible. Russia has been supporting most aspects of the US war against terrorism, responding mildly to US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, and even indicating that a second round of NATO expansion will not prove fatal to US-Russian relations. China, too, has sought to minimize frictions. Both Russia and China regard their economic links to the US-led West as vital.
The triangular relationship involving Russia, China and the United States is critically important. If the strategic triangle is managed properly, the danger of a great-power war in the coming decades will be virtually eliminated. If managed improperly, the 21st century could proceed down the same violent path as the 20th century. Much will depend on the wisdom of US policy.
2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.
To wage a war; to eliminate; controversy; to be of critical (great) importance; to stand out; to deepen cooperation; NATO expansion; to denounce smth; to ease tensions; on charges of espionage; restraint; bring relations to the crisis point; withdrawal from; to preserve and expand economic relations; to expel; to contain; an ally; deterrent; rival; rapprochement; to take office; to play a crucial role; a long-term military presence; vital; to fuel tension; to combat extremism; decade.
3.Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases. Reproduce the sentences from the article with them.
Долгосрочное военное присутствие; быть исключительно важным; прийти к власти; вести войну; по обвинению в шпионаже; союзник; ослабить напряженность; выделяться; поставить отношения на грань кризиса; обман; выход из договора; углубить сотрудничество; расширение НАТО; десятилетие; сближение; играть ключевую роль; выдворять из страны; сохранить и расширить экономические связи; осудить что-либо; сдерживать; средство устрашения; жизненно важный; уничтожить; разногласие; сдержанность; усилить напряженность; ослабить напряженность.
4.Read the article again and complete the following statement using the active vocabulary.
1.Three states ... as leading political powers...
2.Relations between Washington, Moscow and Beijing ...
3.The US bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade during the Kosovo war...
4.The increasingly important trade and investment relationship ...
5.Ties were strengthened further after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the United States came to regard China ...
6.China's leaders desperately needed ...
7.… also fueled tensions.
8.Russia made it clear to the governments of the Central Asian republics ...
9.By 1996, the leaders of Russia and China ...
10.Russia and China clearly wish to avoid...
5.Answer the questions on the article.