THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION
Pre-reading
A Before reading the text make sure you know the meaning of the following words:
engagement deployment dissolution adversary mass destruction
expansion arms race offensive embargo
defense detente alliance missile
station
wage
fleet
join
Reading
Read the text NATO and do the tasks that follow.
Post-Reading
A Which of the words are antonyms?
detente, offense, ally, arms race, expansion, defense, disarmament, contraction.
B Complete the following sentences:
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is a military
The organisation constitutes a system of collective
During the Cold War NATO maintained a pattern with no
actual military as an organization.
They officially defined two complementary aims of the Alliance, to maintain security and pursue.
Detente meant relaxation of tension without further
Later the countries of NATO approved of
nuclear weapons in Europe.
7) Gradual of NATO to Eastern Europe began after
the Cold war.
NATO promised not to its missiles in the East.
The process of other eastern countries NATO is
still going on.
10) NATO saw its first broad-scale military in the
Kosovo War, where it an 11-week bombing
campaign.
11) The Mediterranean Sea military operations were aimed to
prevent the movement of terrorists or weapons of
C Answer the following questions:
What kind of organisation is NATO?
What was NATO policy like during the Cold war?
Under what pretext was it decided to deploy nuclear weapons in Europe?
What did NATO promise not to do after the fall of the
Berlin wall?
What is the policy of NATO nowadays?
Is NATO engaged in military operations?
Does this policy cause anxiety of Russia, Belarus and other former Soviet Union countries? Why?
D Make a written summary of the text.
E Express your opinion on nowadays NATO policy.
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
Pre-reading
A Before reading the text make sure you know the meanings of the following words:
focal point affiliation stability attend
adherence dialogue partner region
accelerate portfolio be held
B Replace the underlined word with the synonym from the list above:
Southeast Asia is a very large area.
The aim of ASEAN is to speed up the development in the region.
The organization states its commitment to the principles of the UN Charter.
Alongside its permanent members ASEAN has dialogue participants.
Ministerial meetings on a number of programmes are held regularly.
The most important point is the August ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meetings.
These meetings are also attended by Economic Ministers of not permanent partners.
Reading
Read the text and do the tasks that follow.
ASEAN
Established in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to promote regional peace and stability through the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. At the 13th ASEAN Summit in November 2007, the leaders signed the ASEAN Charter which provides a legal and institutional framework to support the realization of ASEAN's objectives, including regional integration.
ASEAN comprises ten countries: Burma, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
ASEAN has ten Dialogue Partners: Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, New Zealand, ROK, Russia and the United States. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) also has dialogue status. Australia became ASEAN's first Dialogue Partner in 1974.
ASEAN holds annual Head of State/Government-level Summits towards the end of each year. The East Asia Summit (EAS) is also held at this time. ASEAN holds regular ministerial and senior officials' meetings across a number of portfolios throughout the year. The main meetings involving the foreign ministers of ASEAN and its dialogue partners are the Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC), normally held in July, followed by the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The focal point of the year for economic ministers is the ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meetings (AEM), normally held in August. The AEM is attended by Economic Ministers of ASEAN and a number of dialogue partners.
The Chair of ASEAN is rotated among the ASEAN countries on an annual basis, and acts as host of the Summit and key ministerial meetings. Thailand is the current Chair of ASEAN.
The ASEAN Secretariat, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, coordinates, initiates and implements ASEAN activities. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General of ASEAN, who is appointed for a five-year term and accorded ministerial status. Dr Surin Pitsuwan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, assumed the post of Secretary-General of ASEAN on 7 January 2008.
ASEAN has several specialized bodies to implement intergovernmental cooperation in various fields, such as the ASEAN Agricultural Development Planning Centre and the ASEAN Centre for Energy. In addition, ASEAN promotes dialogue and consultations with professional and business organisations, such as the ASEAN-Chambers of Commerce and Industry and ASEAN Business Forum. A number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have formal affiliations with ASEAN.
Post-Reading
Read the text given below and render it in English.
Партнерство Россия-АСЕАН
Укрепление сотрудничества с Ассоциацией государств Юго-Восточной Азии (АСЕАН) относится к числу приоритетов азиатской политики России. Организация является «ядром» региональных интеграционных процессов в АТР, одним из влиятельных центров мировой политики, способствующим формированию многополярного мира. Развитие взаимодействия с «десяткой» АСЕАН имеет для России большое значение для формирования в регионе новой системы политических и экономических отношений, упрочения российских позиций и продвижения российских инициатив, в первую очередь, в сфере безопасности.
Отношения России с АСЕАН строятся в рамках диалогового партнерства - основной формы внешних связей Ассоциации. Россия является партнером «десятки» по диалогу с 1996 г. (диалоговыми партнерами АСЕАН являются также США, Евросоюз, Китай, Индия, Япония и другие -всего десять).
Россия активно проводит линию на расширение взаимодействия с АСЕАН в сфере борьбы с терроризмом. Совместная декларация о сотрудничестве в борьбе с международным терроризмом положила основу для борьбы с транснациональной преступностью.