《中英對照讀新聞》Russia wants to double gas price for Georgia 俄羅斯要把供給喬治亞的天然氣價格調漲一倍

◎羅彥傑

Russia’s gas monopoly Gazprom is seeking to more than double gas prices for Georgia from 2007, a company official said amid a simmering political crisis between the two states.

俄羅斯天然氣獨占事業體「天然氣產業公司」正尋求自2007年起將供給喬治亞的天然氣價格調漲超過一倍，一名公司人員說，兩國之間一場政治危機正不斷延燒。

The official said Gazprom wanted Georgia to pay $230 per 1,000 cubic metres, up from $110 now. If the price is agreed the impoverished country will have to match the bills of top rich European nations, which pay roughly the same price.

該員說，「天然氣產業公司」希望將供給喬治亞的價格由目前的每1000立方公尺110美元，提高到230美元。如果雙方同意此一價格，這個窮國將必須比照歐洲一流富國，支付大致相同的價格。

Georgia is heavily dependent on Russia for exports and imports. And relations with its giant northern neighbour, since pro-Western President Mikhail Saakashvili swept to power in 2004, have since plunged to unprecedented lows.

喬治亞的進出口都非常依賴俄羅斯。自從親西方的米夏爾．薩亞卡希維利總統2004年執政以來，喬治亞與這個北鄰的關係就陷入空前低點。

The Kremlin then froze air, sea and postal links last month after Georgia briefly detained four Russian officers on spying charges and accused Tbilisi of plotting to use force to restore control over two separatist regions.

在喬治亞以間諜罪名短暫扣留4名俄籍軍官後，克里姆林宮隨即在上月凍結與喬治亞的海空運、郵政聯繫，並指控提弗利司當局陰謀動武，恢復對兩處分離主義地區的控制權。

新聞辭典

simmer：指慢火悶燒。例句：This dispute has been simmering since July when the media raised questions.（這項爭論自7月媒體提出質疑後便延燒至今。）

impoverished：貧困的。例句：A teacher is set to spend up to three months teaching English to impoverished children in Peru.（一名老師準備花3個月的時間教秘魯貧童英文。）

plunge：驟降。例句：The temperature plunged below freezing.（溫度驟降至冰點以下。）