Read the following texts and answer comprehension questions.

The Chemical Weapons Convention

The Chemical Weapons Convention is an international agreement that bans chemical weapons and mandates the destruction of all existing chemical weapons stocks. The CWC bars signatories from producing, stockpiling or using chemical weapons. The Chemical Weapons Convention has been ratified by more than 100 states, including the U.S. It entered into force on April 29, 1997. Russia signed the treaty in 1993, ratified in 1997.

Russia has accumulated 44,000 tons of chemical weapons. It is required to destroy its first 400 tons by 2000. The stockpile of chemical weapons – including mustard gas, nerve gas, and blister gas – can turn into an environmental lime bomb if left to decay any longer.

Land Mine Ban

An international treaty to ban land mines which kill and maim some 25,000 people each year entered into force in March, 1999.

The treatv, concluded in Ottawa in 1997', has been signed by 133 countries and ratified by 64 of them. About 12 countries have destroyed their stocks of anti-personnel mines entirely.

Major users and producers, including the United States, Russia and China, have refused to join in. It will take decades to clear the tens of millions of mines which are scattered in more than 60 countries.

The Ottawa convention commits signatories to ban production, use, stocks and exports or anti-personnel mines.

The International campaign to Ban Land Mines won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize

Comprehension check:

1. What does the CWC ban?

2. How many countries ratified the CWC?

3. What is Russia to do under the CWC?

Exercise 26.

Give the Russian equivalents:

1.to strike a deal, to tempt smb lo build more missiles, to require reduction of strategic arsenals, anincrease in the defense capabilities, to maintain a large nuclear arsenal, drastic reductions, to impose some limits ,deployment of US. long- range sea-based cruise missiles,

2.to ban chemical weapons, to mandate the destruction of all chemical weapons stocks, to bar from, to enter into force, to accumulate chemical weapons, to turn into an environmental time bomb, to decay, to set limits, to prevent from piling up arms, to allow flexibility in the placement of the forces, to keep extra troops, to outnumber.

Exercise 27.

Give the English equivalents:

1.ядерные державы, развивать сотрудничество в области широкого использования ядерной энергии, обязательства, внести поправки в договор, баллистические ракеты, представлять серьезную угрозу национальной безопасности, требовать сокращения вооружения, ядерные боеголовки;

2.укрепить самооборону, быть отвергнутым, регулировать уничтожение всех видов химического оружия, нервно-паралитический газ, распадаться, принятие соглашения с НАТО, дислоцировать дополнительные войска в Кавказском регионе, сосредотачивать уничтожить базы ,превзойти по численности

Exercise 28

Comprehension check:

1 When was the Land Mine treaty signed?

2 How many countries signed the treaty and ratified it?

3.What countries refused to join it?

Exercise 29.