VOA标准英语2010年-Friction Between Turkey, Kurdish Rebel

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Massoud Barzani, president of the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region, during a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, 03 Jun 2010

Turkish military forces crossed into Northern Iraq this week in pursuit of Kurdish rebels of the PKK. The one day incursion is the first of its kind in two years and is seen as the latest step in a growing escalation¹ in fighting between the Turkish state and PKK. Last year the government announced steps to end the more than two-decade-long conflict. But those efforts have stalled and as hopes of peace are now fading.

Two brigades of Turkish commandos along with special forces crossed the Iraqi border in pursuit of PKK rebels that had attacked a military outpost. The incursion was backed up by helicopter gunships and fighter jets. The operation according to Metehan Demir, a former military pilot and leading journalist in Turkey, was not a surprise.

"It has been long expected operation to actually respond to recent PKK attacks that drew a lot of reaction from turkish society in recent days," he said. "Therefore turkish military and government wanted to do something else. Almost everyday a few turkish soldiers die in clashes.

In the last month couple of months, more than two dozen Turkish soldiers have been killed and scores injured  in a major escalation in PKK attacks across the predominantly Kurdish southeast of Turkey.

In the last couple of months, the PKK - Turkish Kurds fighting for greater cultural and political rights since 1984 -  have been steadily² stepping up their attacks.

 

This recent incursion is the first of its kind since 2008, when hundreds of soldiers entered Iraq to attack PKK bases.

That drew heavy condemnation³ from both Baghdad and the regional Iraqi Kurdish government. But this week's incursion drew little political reaction.  In the last few years Ankara has dramatically improved relations with the region.

Earlier this month the Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani made an historic visit to the Turkish capital. Saffeen Dizayee spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish government, says this is a new era in bilateral⁵ relations .

"I think I can happily say that we are at point where by we are happy with these developments vis-a-vis Turkey's relations with Iraqi Kurdistan and vis-a-vis its own Kurdish issue inside Turkey," he said. "The project that the government has already embarked⁶ on is - in itself  -  a major initiative and think its a very courageous⁷ initiative."

That initiative is what the Turkish government's calls its  "democratic opening." Launched last year, it seeks to bring an to end the conflict with the PKK, a conflict which is believed to have claimed over 40,000  lives mainly civilians⁸.

But, the project has stalled. On Tuesday Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched a strong attack against the country's main pro⁴ Kurdish party, the Peace and Democracy Party.

Acts of terror are without remorse⁹, he says. Exploiting this for politics will not bring peace. Just saying peace won't bring peace. Those who are in direct or indirect contact with the PKK are accomplices¹⁰ to murder.

That attack is already being interpreted by some observers as a hint to possibly banning the party. Already more 1500 members and officials, including elected mayors, have been detained on anti-terror charges. Journalist Demir says the window for peace may have already closed.

"PKK is not, Turkey is not only problem," said Demir. "You know the Gaza crisis, Mavi Marmara, flotilla, is. Also the crisis with the European Union over Cyprus, the United States, the economy, unemployment, constitutional change, the upcoming referendum. There are so many other stakes, that Erdogan cannot stand on his feet easily."

With a presidential election just a year away, those pressures on the prime minister can only grow.  Observers say the PKK is expected to further escalate¹¹ its attacks as hopes of any peaceful solution fades. Those attacks will inevitably¹² claim more Turkish soldiers lives, that will further fuel public anger and calls for tougher military action. Analysts¹³ warn Turkey could be on the verge¹⁴ of again descending¹⁵ into a spiral of violence.
 

1 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

2 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

3 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

4 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

5 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

6 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

7 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

8 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。

9 remorse   

n.痛恨，悔恨，自责

参考例句：

• She had no remorse about what she had said.她对所说的话不后悔。
• He has shown no remorse for his actions.他对自己的行为没有任何悔恨之意。

10 accomplices   

从犯，帮凶，同谋( accomplice的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was given away by one of his accomplices. 他被一个同伙出卖了。
• The chief criminals shall be punished without fail, those who are accomplices under duress shall go unpunished and those who perform deeds of merIt'shall be rewarded. 首恶必办， 胁从不问，立功受奖。

11 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

12 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

13 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。

14 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

15 descending   

n. 下行 adj. 下降的

参考例句：

• The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
• The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。