美国国家公共电台 NPR--Why does Turkey object to Finland and Sweden joining NATO?

Why does Turkey object to Finland and Sweden joining NATO?

Transcript¹

Sweden and Finland officially applied² to join NATO, but Turkey's president may oppose their acceptance into the military alliance. There is an international push to resolve Turkey's objections.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Another ripple³ effect of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is two Scandinavian countries looking to abandon their long-standing neutrality. The leaders of Sweden and Finland meet with President Biden today after officially applying to join NATO, but their applications have hit an early snag. Turkey's president says he may oppose their accession into the military alliance. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on the international push to resolve Turkey's objections.

PETER KENYON, BYLINE⁴: For Sweden's prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, ending two centuries of neutrality is a major historical shift and a decision that was not taken lightly. Heard here through an interpreter, she told Swedish lawmakers that the invasion of Ukraine convinced her the time has come to join NATO, a process that can take anywhere from several weeks to a year.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRIME MINISTER MAGDALENA ANDERSSON: (Through interpreter) Sweden will be in a vulnerable position while our application is being considered. Russia has announced that it will take countermeasures if we join NATO. We cannot rule out Sweden being exposed to, for example, disinformation and attempts to intimidate⁶ and divide us. But it is also clear that Sweden is not alone.

KENYON: International support for the move has generally been strong. Opposition⁷, however, has emerged from an unexpected source. Wednesday, NATO ambassadors were unable to hold a first vote on the accession bid because of an objection from Turkey. Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told reporters in Ankara Monday that his main objection involves the presence in Sweden of supporters of the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a group designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Erdogan said Sweden needs to change the way it treats the PKK and its allies.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN: (Through interpreter) In their Parliaments, they bring these terrorists and let them give a speech. They make special invites for them. There are even members of their Parliament who support PKK terrorists. How can we trust them?

KENYON: Analyst⁸ Soner Cagaptay at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy says part of Erdogan's long-running political success comes from strategically using his mercurial⁹ reputation to energize¹⁰ his political base. For instance, Cagaptay says talks aimed at addressing Turkey's worries about the country's joining NATO were already underway in private when Erdogan suddenly decided¹¹ to go public.

SONER CAGAPTAY: And I think a bunch of things are going on here. One is that Turkey has a love and hate relationship with Europe, and Turkey's public loves a good fight with Europe.

KENYON: Cagaptay says on one level, Turkey has a legitimate¹² complaint about countries like Sweden allowing political and fundraising activities on its soil that Ankara sees as benefiting the PKK or other militant¹³ groups. But he also suggests that on another level, this could be Erdogan's way of seeking a quid pro⁵ quo from Washington. For example, Turkey has tried for years to purchase American fighter jets; thus far, to no avail.

CAGAPTAY: I wonder if this is also President Erdogan's way of saying to President Biden, hey, please call me. We can settle this. I will let the Swedes come into NATO if you move forward my request to purchase F-16s through the U.S. Senate.

KENYON: Whatever the outcome, he says being seen to stand up to the U.S. and Europe will help burnish¹⁴ Erdogan's reputation at home as he prepares for a reelection campaign in the coming year. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Istanbul.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

3 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

6 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

9 mercurial   

adj.善变的，活泼的

参考例句：

• He was of a mercurial temperament and therefore unpredictable.他是个反复无常的人，因此对他的行为无法预言。
• Our desires and aversions are mercurial rulers.我们的欲望与嫌恶是变化无常的统治者。

10 energize   

vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量

参考例句：

• It is used to energize the city.它的作用是为城市供给能量。
• This is a great way to energize yourself and give yourself more power!这种方法非常棒，可以激活你的能量，让你有更多的活力！

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

13 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

14 burnish   

v.磨光；使光滑

参考例句：

• Many people,fearful for their jobs,are trying to burnish their contacts at other firms.许多人因为担心自己的工作，正在努力抹去和其他公司接触的痕迹。
• I burnish joyful sparks from my sorrows.我从伤痛里擦亮喜悦的火花。