2006年VOA标准英语-Iraqi PM in Turkey; Discusses Security

By Margaret Besheer
Irbil, Iraq
16 November 2006

Iraqs Prime Minister has begun a two-day visit to neighboring Turkey, where he is to discuss his country's security situation and Turkey's fight against Kurdish guerrillas based in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, in Baghdad, sectarian violence claimed at least 15 more lives Thursday in a series of bombings and shootings across the capital.

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and Nouri al-Maliki in Ankara, Nov. 16, 2006   
  
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrived in Ankara where he met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In a joint¹ news conference, Mr. Maliki reassured² his neighbor that his government would not tolerate Kurdish separatist guerrillas operating from northern Iraq against Turkish targets.

He also said the anti-Iranian group, the Mujahadeen al-Khalq, would not be allowed to use Iraq as a base to launch attacks against Iran.

Turkey has repeatedly complained that Iraqi and U.S. forces are not doing enough to rein³ in Kurdish fighters who launch attacks into Turkey from the mountains of northern Iraq.

On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned that if Iraq breaks apart into several autonomous⁴ regions, it would force its neighbors to take strong action.

Some four million Kurds live in northern Iraq, but more than 14 million more live in southeastern Turkey.

Turkey wants to avoid the emergence⁵ of an independent Kurdistan on its border, fearing it would encourage Kurdish separatists in southeastern Turkey to revolt.

Mr. Maliki also called on Turkey to help his government build strong security forces in order to quell⁶ growing sectarian violence, which claimed more than a dozen more lives in Baghdad on Thursday. 

 
Iraqi Shiites mourn death of relatives killed in shooting attack that targeted a bakery, Nov. 16, 2006
  
The worst attack was at a bakery, where gunmen killed nine Shiite bakers⁷.

This witness says, "They stormed into the bakery and killed them while they were baking. They had done nothing wrong."

The U.S. military also announced four more soldiers have been killed since Tuesday; one in Baghdad, the other three north of the capital in the Diyala province.

Elsewhere in Baghdad, authorities are still searching for hostages taken in a raid Tuesday on a building belonging to the Ministry⁸ of Higher Education. Some 80 gunmen stormed the Scientific Research Directorate taking away dozens of male employees and visitors.

Officials say many of the hostages have been released but an unknown number remain in captivity⁹.

Minister of Higher Education Abed Dhiab al-Ujaili said some of the hostages who had been freed said their abductors tortured and killed several of the other hostages.

The minister, a Sunni Arab, said he is stepping down from the government until effective action is taken against Shiite militias¹⁰.

The militias are believed to be responsible for Tuesday's kidnapping at the Sunni-run ministry, as well as for hundreds of other kidnappings and murders in and around Baghdad.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

4 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

5 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

6 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

7 bakers   

n.面包师( baker的名词复数 )；面包店；面包店店主；十三

参考例句：

• The Bakers have invited us out for a meal tonight. 贝克一家今晚请我们到外面去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bakers specialize in catering for large parties. 那些面包师专门负责为大型宴会提供食品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

10 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网