2007年VOA标准英语-US Defense Secretary Cautions Turkey Not to Con

By Purnell Murdock
Washington
03 June 2007

Defense1 Secretary Robert Gates right, and General Peter Pace, US Chairman of the Joint2 Chiefs of Staff, in Singapore, 03 June 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070608/1431340.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates right, and General Peter Pace, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Singapore, 03 June 2007

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has cautioned Turkey against sending troops into northern Iraq to hunt down Kurdish rebels accused of carrying out terrorist attacks in Turkey. The defense secretary's comments followed a warning by the Turkish army that Ankara would respond "at the highest level" if such attacks continued. VOA's Purnell Murdock reports.

Speaking to reporters Sunday in Singapore, where he is attending an Asian security conference, Gates said he sympathized with the Turks' concern over cross-border raids by Kurdish rebels.

But he cautioned Turkey against taking unilateral action across the border into Iraq, saying Washington wants to work with the Turks to help them get control of the problem of terrorism on Turkish soil.

"The Turks have a genuine concern with Kurdish terrorism that takes place on Turkish soil," said Gates. "And so, one can understand their frustration³ and unhappiness over this. Several hundred Turks lose their lives each year. We have been working with the Turks to try and help them get control of this problem on Turkish soil. Our view would be that we would prefer that we continue to work this problem with them to try and safeguard Turkey and would hope that there would not be a unilateral military action across the border into Iraq."

Tensions have been rising amid charges that Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels have found sanctuary⁴ in Kurdish controlled areas of northern Iraq.

The Turkish army keeps a contingent⁵ of a few thousand soldiers in the mountainous border region to monitor the activities of Turkish Kurdish rebels holed up in bases in the area.

Turkey's military chief said Thursday the army was ready and only awaiting orders for a cross-border offensive.

In Irbil Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned Turkey against conducting cross-border raids, saying he will not allow Iraq's largely peaceful Kurdish region to become a battleground.

Turkey accuses Iraqi Kurds, who once fought alongside the Turkish soldiers against the PKK in Iraq, of supporting the separatist rebels. Turkey also worries that the war in Iraq could lead to the country's disintegration⁶ and the creation of a Kurdish state in the north.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 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。

3 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

4 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

5 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

6 disintegration   

n.分散，解体

参考例句：

• This defeat led to the disintegration of the empire.这次战败道致了帝国的瓦解。
• The incident has hastened the disintegration of the club.这一事件加速了该俱乐部的解体。