(S (S (BASENP (PRP He)) (VP (VP (VBD talked) (PP (IN about) (NP (NP (BASENP (DT the) (NN crisis)) (PP (IN in) (BASENP (DT the) (NNP Middle) (NNP East)))) (CONJP (COMMA ,) (CC and)) (NP (BASENP (DT the) (JJ nuclear) (NN standoff)) (PP (IN between) (NP (BASENP (DT the) (NNP U.N)) (CC and) (NP (BASENP (NNS countries)) (PP (IN like) (NP (BASENP (NNP North) (NNP Korea)) (CC and) (BASENP (NNP Iran))))))))))) (COMMA ,) (S (VP (VP (VBG referring) (PP (TO to) (BASENP (PRP them)))) (PP (IN as) (QT (DQL ``) (ADJP (JJ obvious) (CC and) (JJ trying)) (DQR ''))))))) (PERIOD .))