Английский разговорный язык. Практическое пособие по развитию устной речи

The union should go further. It should offer the best-performing neighbours partnerships in the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). If countries such as Georgia and Ukraine make steady progress towards becoming liberal democracies, the EU should ask them to send diplomats to the Council of Ministers in Brussels. They would take part in discussions on policies of common interest, such as Black Sea security, counter-terrorism and illegal immigration. The partners would help to shape EU policy but, not being members, could not vote on it. Once EU governments had decided a policy, the partner would be free to sign up to it, or not.

Such partners would gain several benefits. Their politicians and bureaucrats would learn about the EU\'s ethos of compromise. Above all, joining the CFSP would make countries such as Ukraine and Georgia feel a little safer. Many Georgians and some Ukrainians view NATO membership as the best guarantee of their security. But since that goal remains a distant prospect, they may favour closer security ties with the EU as an interim step.

The EU should offer the same deal to candidates for membership, such as Turkey, which are excluded from talks on CFSP. Of course, there would be a risk that too many governments around the table could slow decision-making. So the scheme should begin with a few chosen topics. If it worked well, the EU and the partners could extend it to more policy areas. In any case, if EU governments found neighbours and candidates were being obstructive, they would be free to move ahead and take their own decisions.

Such ideas to strengthen neighbourhood policy will only work if they are seen as «membership neutral». Some Georgians and Ukrainians will sniff at any offer that does not mention the goal of membership. But when they realise that membership is not the matter of the foreseeable future, they may welcome other ways to move closer to the EU. Similarly, some members hostile to enlargement will be reluctant to give neighbours a status that could be seen as a stepping stone to membership. But in time they may see that the union has a strategic need to foster reform in its neighbours and that it must therefore give them a closer embrace.

By Charles Grant

Слова и выражения:

adapt – адаптировать, приспосабливать

afford – позволять себе

arc – дуга

bureaucrat – бюрократ

carrot – морковь; здесь : «пряник» как нечто привлекательное ( от stick and carrot – кнут и пряник)

challenge – вызов, требующий ответных мер

compromise – компромисс, способность к компромиссу

crime – преступление

distant – отдаленный

elite – элита

embrace – объятья; обнимать

enlargement – увеличение, расширение

ethos – этика, свод правил

feasibly – возможно, выполнимо

foreseeable – предсказуемое

forum – форум

foster – воспитывать, лелеять

gap – брешь, прорыв, пробел

governance – управление

guarantee – гарантия; гарантировать

hostile – враждебный, вражеский

illegal – нелегальный

instability – нестабильность

integrate

– интегрировать(ся)

interim – временный, промежуточный

join – вступать

juicy – сочный

membership – членство

modest – скромный

momentum – движение

neighbourhood – соседство

neutral – нейтральный

obstructive – препятствующий, мешающий

package – пакет ( возможностей, благ и т. д .)

painful – болезненный

partnership – партнерство

presidency – исполнение обязанностей президента

prosperity – процветание

reluctant – неохотный

scheme – схема

scrap – соскребать

sniff – презрительно фыркать

status – статус

steady – постоянный, устойчивый

steer – управлять, вести

strengthen – усиливать

tie – связь; связывать

topic – тема

undertake – предпринимать

view – вид, точка зрение; рассматривать

vote – голосовать

welcome – приветствовать

European Union – Европейский союз

not on the road – не на дороге (к)

heavy price – тяжелая цена

religious extremism

– религиозный экстремизм

ethnic conflict – этнический конфликт

spill over – переливаться через край

in place – здесь : введенный

prove inadequate – доказать свою неадекватность

visa regime – визовый режим

border controls – пограничный контроль

energy market – энергетический рынок

liberal democracy – либеральная демократия

Council of Ministers – Совет министров

sign up to it – подписываться под (чем-либо)

NATO membership – членство в НАТО

stepping stone – трамплин

Словарь базовой лексики, использованной в пособии

Aa

abandon – бросать, отказываться ( от чего-либо )