VOA标准英语2009年-Turkish President Makes Historic Visit to Iraq

Turkey's President Abdallah Gul is making the first visit to Iraq by a Turkish head of state in 33 years. Both Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Turkish President Gul were all smiles for the historic occasion.
　
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, right, and Turkish President Abdullah Gul shake hands in Baghdad, Iraq, 23 March 2009

Mr. Talabani, who is an ethnic¹ Kurd, and whose Patriotic² Union of Kurdistan party (PUK) is the smaller of Kurdistan's two major parties, has been mediating³ between other Kurdish leaders to put an end to the terror activities of the Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK), which have long angered Ankara.

The PKK, which has bases in northern Iraq, conducts frequent raids inside Turkey, provoking periodic Turkish cross-border reprisals⁴. The PKK's leader, Abdallah Ocalan, is imprisoned⁵ in Turkey and has been sentenced to death on terror charges.

During a joint⁶ press conference in Baghdad, Iraqi President Talabani told Turkish President Gul that Iraq would do everything to put a stop to the PKK's military activities, pleading in return for more freedoms for Turkey's own Kurdish minority.

Mr. Talabani, addressing the PKK directly, insisted that it had one of two choices: either to end it is military activities, or to leave Iraqi territory. Mr. Talabani said Iraq's constitution bans armed activities on its soil.

"Any attacks on our democratic neighbor [Turkey] will be considered terrorist attacks and do a disservice to the [Kurdish] people they claim to be representing," he said, "The presence of PKK forces on Iraqi soil has harmed villagers from over 500 Kurdish town and the PKK must either lay down its arms or leave Iraq."

Turkish President Gul told Talabani that he hoped that with the support of Iraqi leaders, especially those from Kurdistan, it would be possible to eliminate the cross-border activities of the PKK.

"It is our belief that within the framework of Iraq's central government, alongside our Kurdish brethren of Iraq's Kurdish regional government we have reached an understanding to put an end, together, to the [terrorist] activities [of the PKK] ...," he said.

The French Press Agency reported that Gul would also be meeting, separately, with the head of the Kurdish regional government, Nechirvan Barzani to discuss how the new accord would be implemented⁷.

Gul is also scheduled to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Tuesday, to discuss closer economic ties between Ankara and Baghdad.

The PKK has long been a bone of contention⁸ between both sides and prevented economic cooperation. Trade between both countries is approximately $3 billion a year.

Last week, President Talabani visited Istanbul to urge Turkish leaders to approve an amnesty for Kurdish rebels, as well as according more cultural freedom to its own Kurdish minority, as part of the framework of a deal to end the PKK's terror activities.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

3 mediating   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的现在分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• So many factors are mediating. 如此众多的因素在起作用。
• The contrast in mediating noted in the sitting room. 客厅中注重了调和中的对比。

4 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

6 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。

7 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

8 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。