2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Presidency; a legally binding document; mutual cuts; an accord; to reduce; to go beyond; to base one's relations on; a counterpart; to be aimed at.

3. Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Законодательно обязывающий документ; сокращать; основывать отношения на; президентский срок; выходить за (рамки); договор/соглашение; коллега (человек, занимающий аналогичную должность); иметь целью; совместные сокращения.

4. Say whether the following statements are true or false. Use the introductory phrases for agreement or disagreement.

Agreement: Yes, that's true./I can't but agree./Yes, I fully agree.

Disagreement: I'm afraid it's not quite right./No, I can't agree with it./I'm sorry, but that's not correct.

1. The US Defense Secretary said that Russia and the USA had signed an accord on weapons reduction.

2. The USA and Russia are likely to sign an agreement that the two countries will be obliged to fulfill.

3. This agreement will be valid only during the terms of both presidents.

4. Large numbers of arms are no longer needed because the situation in tin-world has improved a lot.

5. Russia and the United States found other areas of cooperation, such as a struggle against terrorism.

5. Render the article in English using the active words and phrases.

II

1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words and phrases in a dictionary. Russians wonder what they'll gain

Disillusionment with Russia's friendship with the USA has grown recently as many Russians see few gains from the relationship. Russia wants to preserve good ties with the USA, according to analysts and lawmakers, yet hard-liners say the president has given up too much to an ungrateful Washington.

The doubts about the United States came after a year of remarkable change. Russian president Putin was the first world leader to call the American president with condolences after the terrorist attacks. Later, he not only allowed US forces to use bases in Central Asia but also agreed to US withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and to NATO membership for the former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

He closed Soviet-era bases in Cuba and Vietnam, accepted the deployment of US military advisers to the former Soviet republic of Georgia and swallowed a three-page treaty on strategic arms cuts instead of the pact he wanted.

In return, as Russians see it, they have received little. Overall, foreign direct investment has gone down. Soviet debt has not been restructured or forgiven. Russia is no closer to membership in the World Trade Organization.

Now, as Russian policymakers and opinion leaders study the balance sheet, the United States has failed to live up to many promises of a new partnership envisioned following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, particularly in strengthening economic ties.

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Strategic arms cuts; withdrawal from; hard-liners; to live up to one's promises; to preserve good ties; condolences; 1972 ABM Treaty; NATO membership; deployment.

3. Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Сдержать обещания; договор по ПРО 1972 г.; соболезнования; сторонники жесткой линии (в политике); сокращение стратегических вооружений; размещение; членство в НАТО; сохранять добрые отношения; выход из.

4. Answer the questions on the article.

1. Why has the disillusionment with Russia's friendship with the USA grown recently?

2. What steps did Russia make to preserve good ties with the USA after the terrorist attacks of September 11?

3. What concessions did the Russian president make to help the USA fight terrorism?

4. What did Russia receive in return?

5. Questions for discussion.

1. Do you think that Russia really has given up too much to Washington?

2. Can you say that Washington has been really ungrateful? Why?

3. Why do you think Russia has made so many concessions to the USA though it received little in return?

4. What to your mind are the prospects for Russian-American relations?

III

1. Read the article and look up the underlined words and phrases in a dictionary.

At brief summit

Russian and American presidents on Friday jointly pledged their full support for the newly adopted United Nations resolution on Iraq and called on Baghdad «to comply fully and immediately» with its disarmament demands or «face serious consequences».

But the Russian president made clear in comments to reporters after the 90-minute meeting that he remains concerned that Washington is only waiting before launching a military attack on Iraq. He said, «We agree that we have to make sure that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction in its possession». But, he added, «We do believe that we have to stay within the framework» of the UN resolution.

Russian officials say they have reached an understanding with the U.S. administration on Russia's economic interests in Iraq, including concerns about the price of oil as a result of an Iraqi oil boom should President Saddam Hussein be overthrown.

While denying that there has been a specific agreement, US officials say they are aware of Russian concerns and are taking them into account in planning for a post-Saddam Iraq. «We understand that Russia has got interests there, as do other countries», the US president told an independent Russian television station. «And of course those interests will be honored».

«Putin is a very pragmatic politician», said a spokesman of a research organization that has focused on US -Russian relations. «Instead of trying to stop things that are going to happen anyway, he tries to get the most he can, both for his country and for himself politically». At the top of Putin's list of economic concerns is the fear of collapsing oil prices once UN trade sanctions against Baghdad are removed and Western investment begins to pour into the neglected Iraqi oil sector.

While acknowledging that discussions have taken place with the Russians over the price of oil, US officials dismissed suggestions that the United States can influence the market very much. «Generally, we would like to see stability in the oil price», said a US official involved in Russia negotiations. «Sharp changes unsettle the markets».