VOA常速英语2007年-EU Tells Turkey to Deepen Reforms

By Nina Maria Potts
Brussels
22 November 2007
 

A recent European Commission report says limits on free speech are undermining Turkey's chances of becoming a full member of the European Union. The report says that Turkey also needs to reform its judiciary, fight corruption¹ and strip the military of its political powers. EU officials say that if Turkey does more to meet Europe's standards then it can expect to gain full membership, despite some European leaders who favor more limited ties for Turkey.  Nina-Maria Potts has more for VOA.

Turkey – a predominately Muslim nation bridging East and West – is an aspiring² member of the European Union for decades.

Two years into entry negotiations³, and now Turkey's EU membership bid lies at the core of a bitter controversy⁴ over how much farther to expand Europe's borders. The European Commission says to become an EU member Turkey needs to deepen reforms, and reform faster.

The EU's enlargement chief, Olli Rehn, singled out Turkey's law on insulting "Turkishness," that has been used to prosecute⁵ several writers. "It is simply not acceptable in a European democracy that writers, journalists, academics and other intellectuals, or any citizen for that matter, are prosecuted⁶ for simply expressing a critical but completely non-violent opinion," he said.

Rehn says the EU accepts that a string of political crises in Turkey this year help explain a slowdown in reforms. 

Some analysts⁷ fear that souring public opinion and the arrival of EU leaders opposed to Turkish membership may undermine Europe's end of the bargain, that membership does await if Turkey reforms.

Michael Emerson is with the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels. He says, "There is this blocking position of several member states, which renders the whole exercise highly ambiguous, and basically inconsistent. That means trouble, that means unsustainability in due course."

European Union officials say it is time to press on with accession talks. But French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants talks put on hold, until European leaders agree to his plan for a group of so-called "wisemen" to examine Europe's future. France has been warned that such a group cannot be a ploy⁸ for shutting down further enlargement.

Andrew Duff is a Member of the European Parliament, and a prominent supporter of Turkish membership. He has concerns about Mr. Sarkozy's proposal. "I think that his contention⁹ that we need now to consider the future of Europe is rather absurd, when we have been considering it profoundly and intensively for several years now."

If EU politicians are divided over Turkish membership, they agree on Turkey's strategic importance. EU officials worry that too much of Europe's energy comes from Russia. Pipelines¹⁰ through Turkey could carry gas from Central Asia and Iran, bypassing Russia.

For the moment, the EU is officially committed to eventual¹¹ Turkish membership. Supporters of Turkey say if they push too fast, they risk losing public opinion. But at the same time, they say, if talks drag on forever, Turkey may walk away.

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 aspiring   

adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求

参考例句：

• Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
• He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

6 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

7 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。

8 ploy   

n.花招，手段

参考例句：

• I think this is just a government ploy to deceive the public.我认为这只是政府欺骗公众的手段。
• Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder,not a cynical marketing ploy.圣诞节应该是兴奋和美妙的时刻，而不该是一种肆无忌惮的营销策略。

9 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。

10 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

11 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。