VOA慢速英语--Kurds in Iraq Offer to Suspend Independence Effort

 

Iraqi Kurds offered on Wednesday to suspend the results of an independence vote and to start talks with the government in Baghdad.

However, an Iraqi military spokesman suggested that, regardless of talks, an offensive would continue to capture territory under Kurdish control.

The Iraqi central government declared the Kurdish referendum for independence illegal. It launched an offensive to seize the oil-producing area of Kirkuk. Kurdish forces had defeated Islamic State militants¹ to take control of the area.

In a statement, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said, “The fighting between the two sides will not produce a victory for any, it will take the country to total destruction.”

The KRG proposed an immediate² ceasefire and a suspension of the referendum result. In return, it called for “starting an open dialogue with the federal government based on the Iraqi Constitution”.

In a social media comment, an Iraqi military spokesman answered, “Military operations are not connected to politics.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi did not react to the Kurdish proposal on Wednesday. He was on an official visit to neighboring Turkey and Iran, countries that are also against the Kurdish independence vote.

Earlier, the prime minister had said the KRG should cancel the vote’s result as a condition for talks to take place. He also ordered the Iraqi army to capture all disputed territory and demanded control of Iraq’s border crossings with Turkey. All such crossings are inside the Kurdish autonomous³ area.

Fighting in strategic region

On Tuesday, Kurdish officials said their Peshmerga forces had stopped Iranian-supported militias⁴ near the border with Turkey and Syria.

The border area of Fish-Khabur is part of the Kurdish autonomous region. It is home to a pipeline⁵ for oil exports from northern Iraq to Turkey. Control of the area is important to any move toward Kurdish independence.

The fighting between the central Iraqi government and the Kurds presents a problem for the United States. The U.S. began providing military support and training to both sides after the war in Iraq and during the fight against Islamic State militants.

I’m Caty Weaver⁶.

Words in This Story

regardless –adv. whether or not something else takes place, notwithstanding

referendum –n. a popular vote on a single issue or question

dialogue –n. talks, a series of discussions meant to end a disagreement

autonomous –adj. having powers of self-rule

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 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。

4 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

5 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

6 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。