VOA常速英语2007-Iraq's Vice President Visits Turkey to Discuss B

By Dorian Jones
Istanbul
16 October 2007

With Turkey threatening to launch a military incursion against Kurdish separatist bases of the Kurdish workers party in Northern Iraq, Ankara is at the center of intense diplomatic activity. Iraq's vice¹ president and the Syrian president are the visiting the Turkish capital for talks. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

 

Turkey is in the center of intense diplomatic activity, with the visits of Iraqi Vice President Tariq Al-Hashimi and Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. The visits come as Turkish forces continue to mass on the Iraqi border. Ankara is threatening to launch a large military incursion against bases of the Kurdish workers party - the PKK - in Northern Iraq.

In the last two weeks, Turkey has blamed the PKK staging a series of attacks that have killed 30 soldiers and civilians². Monday, the Turkish government agreed to send a motion to parliament to sanction a cross-border operation. According to analysts³, Turkish threats are causing deep concern among Turkey's neighbors. Government spokesman Cemil Cicek on Monday sought to downplay the concerns.

He says the motion targets only the PKK and is designed to prevent further bloodshed.

The Tuesday visit of Iraq's vice president and Syria president is being interpreted as an attempt by Ankara to prepare the diplomatic ground for a possible attack. Turkey and Syria have been regional rivals for decades and any military incursion by Turkish forces into Iraq would be viewed by Damascus with deep suspicion.

Baghdad is calling on Ankara to hold off an attack, to give it time to deal with the PKK. International pressure on Turkey not to intervene continues to grow. Washington has repeatedly called on Ankara to work with Iraqi authorities. In the last week, two high-level American diplomats⁴ visited Ankara to lobby against an intervention⁵.

However, the Turkish government is under intense domestic pressure to act.

Political scientist Cengiz Aktar says any intervention would have wider objectives than just the PKK.

"The background of this affair is the uneasiness of the Turkish establishment including Akp, (The ruling party) visa vis what is happening in northern Iraq. This is the real issue, because there is a sort of new state emerging," Aktar said.

 

Ankara fears any such Kurdish independent state could lead to similar demands from its own Kurdish population. Relations between Ankara and the Iraqi Kurdish political leadership have deteriorated⁶ in the last year, despite Kurdish denials of any plans to declare an independent state.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

6 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。