VOA标准英语2008年-Top Turkish General Says Turkey, Iran Coordinat

By Dorian Jones
Istanbul
05 June 2008

A senior Turkish general says Turkey and Iran have carried out coordinated¹ strikes against Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq. Over the past few months, Turkey has reportedly intensified² its attacks against bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
　

Gen. Ilker Basbug (l) and chief of staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit (r), Jun 2007

The deputy head of Turkey's armed forces General Ilker Basbug told Turkish television that Turkish forces have collaborated³ with Iran in attacking bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in northern Iraq, and will do so again if necessary.

In the past, Turkey and Iran have pledged to cooperate against the rebels, but the general's comment is the first confirmation⁴ that the two countries have been working together against the PKK, and PJAK, the group's Iranian wing.

International relations expert, Soli Ozel of Bilgi University says the cooperation is a watershed⁵ in Turkey's fight against the PKK.

"Turkey bombed PJAK that is the anti Iranian Kurdish organization and it flew into the region using Iranian airspace," he said. "That tells you volumes what is cooking about PKK PJAK because PJAK is the twin of PKK for Iran."

During Turkey's more than two-decade fight against the PKK, Ankara frequently accused Tehran of providing direct assistance to the PKK, a claim denied by the Iranians. But the present Turkish government has been working hard to improve relations with Iran. Observers say closer cooperation between the two countries will be a blow to the PKK.
　

Turkish troops in northern Iraq, 28 Feb 2008

Turkish armed forces are continuing to bombard Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq, while its continuing its diplomatic efforts to isolate⁶ them. The head of Turkey's armed forces, General Yasar Buyukanit, on Thursday called for an end to logistical support to the rebels.

"In the past the PKK were supplied by mules⁷ carrying arms," he said. "Today they are supplied by trucks. How can this be? All counties should recognize they are a terrorist organization."

That call, according to observers, is directly aimed at the leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish-controlled enclave, where PKK bases are located. Like Iran in the past, Ankara has accused the Iraqi Kurds of supporting the PKK.

But here too, the last few months have seen relations improving. The prime minister of the Iraqi Kurdish region Nechirvan Barzani this week said they were optimistic that relations with Turkey are improving. The warming of relations, says Bilgi University's Soli Ozel, is an indication of how isolated⁸ the PKK has become.

"The PKK, for all intents and purposes, has well lived out of its usefulness, for anyone concerned and everyone want to get rid of them, and this is what is happening," he said.

But the PKK insurgency⁹ is still essentially¹⁰ a Turkish problem, with Turkish Kurds still make up the overwhelming majority. Despite the PKK being designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union, pressure still remains¹¹ on Ankara to extend greater cultural and economic rights to its Kurdish population, as a key part of the strategy to defeat the insurgency.

1 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 collaborated   

合作( collaborate的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• We have collaborated on many projects over the years. 这些年来我们合作搞了许多项目。
• We have collaborated closely with the university on this project. 我们与大学在这个专案上紧密合作。

4 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

5 watershed   

n.转折点，分水岭，分界线

参考例句：

• Our marriage was at a watershed.我们的婚姻到了一个转折关头。
• It forms the watershed between the two rivers.它成了两条河流的分水岭。

6 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

7 mules   

骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者

参考例句：

• The cart was pulled by two mules. 两匹骡子拉这辆大车。
• She wore tight trousers and high-heeled mules. 她穿紧身裤和拖鞋式高跟鞋。

8 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。