2006年VOA标准英语-Kurdish PM: Iraqi Violence Will Not Spill Over

By Margaret Besheer
Irbil, Iraq
26 July 2006

As much of Iraq seeks security and stability, the Kurdistan Region in the north has enjoyed relative peace and growing prosperity. Since 1999, a young, charismatic politician from a prominent Kurdish family has been prime minister of this region. 

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PM Nechirvan, right, hosted Iraqi PM Maliki at Kurdish Parliament 
  
At 39 years old, Nechirvan Barzani is one of the younger political leaders on the world scene. His father-in-law, Massoud Barzani, is president of the Kurdistan Region, and the Barzani family has been prominent in Kurdish politics and the fight for autonomy for decades through its Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

The Kurdistan region is part of Iraq, but since 1992 has had its own elected parliament and run its affairs. The Kurdistan Region encompasses¹ the three northern provinces of Dahuk, Irbil, and Sulaimaniyah. Unlike other areas of Iraq, the region has few security problems.

As violence continues to ravage² Baghdad and other parts of the country, Prime Minister Barzani says he does not believe Iraq has descended³ into a civil war.

 "The fight is over Baghdad," he says, "This is the problem that is happening. Yes, we are facing serious problems in Baghdad, especially between the Shiites and the Sunnis, but I cannot call it a civil war."

Barzani says he does not believe the violence will spill over into the Kurdistan Region because there are no sectarian problems here.

At a time when Iraq looks ready to split apart, Mr. Barzani says although the Kurdish people would like their own state, the Kurdistan Region is not seeking statehood.

"Sometimes it is important for people to differentiate⁴ between dreams and what is the reality on the ground," he says.  "But he would not rule out seeking an independent state in the future, saying only that at this stage, it is not in the interest of the Kurdish people."
  

British Minister Kim Howells, left, met with PM Barzani recently in Irbil  
  
What he does believe is in their interest, is a democratic, federal Iraq that respects its own people.

But one major issue remains⁵ to be resolved between Kurdistan and the central government. That is the status of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

Under Saddam Hussein, many Arabs were sent to live in Kirkuk to displace Kurds, Turkmen and Christians⁶ living in the city. Ethnic⁷ tensions continue there today and a referendum has been scheduled for next year to decide whether Kirkuk will be included in the Kurdish autonomous⁸ region.

Barzani says he is doubtful the referendum will take place on time, as preparations have been delayed. He also disputes the view that it is the city's oil that makes it so valuable.

He says, the issue is not one of oil, but an issue of land; the issue of the oppression that has been practiced against the people there.

Turkey, Iran and Syria are Kurdistan's neighbors. Although decisions about foreign relations remain the exclusive domain⁹ of the central government in Baghdad, Barzani says his government's policy is to have good relations with all its neighbors.

Kurdistan Regional Government PM Nechirvan Barzani   
  
Barzani grew up in Iran, and his KDP party, as well as Kurdistan's other major political group, the Patriotic¹⁰ Union of Kurdistan (PUK), have both had alliances with Tehran in the past. Recently, Irbil hosted an Iranian-business exhibition.

As Iran becomes increasingly isolated¹¹ in the world, Barzani diplomatically says his government has had good relations with Iran in the past and hopes that will continue.

He adds, Iran helped us at a time when all the other countries in the world were backing Saddam.

But relations with Turkey are more sensitive. Kurdish rebels, known as the Kurdistan Workers Party have launched attacks into Turkey from their bases in the mountains of northern Iraq. Recently, Turkey's prime minister said he is considering cross-border raids into northern Iraq to clear out PKK bases.

"Even if the Turkish army comes in they will not be able to solve this problem. Even if they have the U.S. military with them they will not be able to solve the problem, because the problem is a political one. We believe Turkey should think of a political solution to this problem," Barzani says.

Nechirvan Barzani also oversees¹² an ambitious domestic program. Reconstruction¹³ is visible in the large cities, but has been slower to reach rural villages and towns. The education system is woefully lacking and many foreign businessmen complain of difficulties in finding qualified¹⁴ local workers.

The prime minister says this is the result of living under years of international sanctions and the destruction Saddam's regime caused his region. But he says the situation is gradually improving.

Parliament recently passed a new foreign investment law, which Barzani hopes will be the key to drawing new capital to his region.

He says Kurdistan is ready for business, and he sees the region as a gateway¹⁵ to the rest of Iraq.

1 encompasses   

v.围绕( encompass的第三人称单数 )；包围；包含；包括

参考例句：

• The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
• Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句

2 ravage   

vt.使...荒废，破坏...；n.破坏，掠夺，荒废

参考例句：

• Just in time to watch a plague ravage his village.恰好目睹了瘟疫毁灭了他的村庄。
• For two decades the country has been ravaged by civil war and foreign intervention.20年来，这个国家一直被内战外侵所蹂躏。

3 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

4 differentiate   

vi.(between)区分；vt.区别；使不同

参考例句：

• You can differentiate between the houses by the shape of their chimneys.你可以凭借烟囱形状的不同来区分这两幢房子。
• He never learned to differentiate between good and evil.他从未学会分辨善恶。

5 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。

6 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

7 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。

8 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。

9 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

10 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。

11 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。

12 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

13 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

14 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

15 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。