VOA常速英语2008年-US Urges Turkey to Limit Iraq Incursion

By David Gollust
State Department
22 February 2008

The United States Friday called on Turkey to limit the scope of its ground incursion in northern Iraq and bring it to an early conclusion. The operation is apparently¹ the biggest of several recent Turkish military strikes against Kurdish PKK rebels. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

The United States agrees with Turkey that the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party, is a terrorist organization. But it is calling on the Ankara government to limit its latest military drive against the Kurdish group out of concern for the broader security situation in Iraq.

Reflecting the depth of U.S. concern about the incursion, said to involve thousands of Turkish troops, spokesmen for the White House, the Pentagon and the State Department all made statements calling on Turkey to limit the scope of its operation.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson voiced concern directly to authorities in Ankara.

"Our strong counsel to the Turkish government is to conclude, as quickly as possible, these operations, to limit them strictly² and solely³ to PKK targets, and to work directly with the Iraqi government - this includes the Kurdish Regional Government, on any long-term solution to the threat of the PKK," he said. "Everybody agrees - we, the Turkish government and others - that the PKK is a terrorist organization and a threat that needs to be dealt with."

The United States has recently stepped up intelligence cooperation with Turkey over the PKK, which has staged several lethal⁴ attacks into Turkey in recent months from mountain camps in northern Iraq.

McCormack, however, said Turkey planned and executed the current operation on its own. At the White House, spokesman Scott Stanzel said the United States was notified in advance of the Turkish action and said he understood Iraqi authorities were informed as well.

The PKK has been fighting for autonomy in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast region for more than 20 years and PKK-related violence is believed to have killed more than 30,000 people since 1984.

The United States is concerned that a prolonged and large-scale Turkish move into Iraq could lead to broader fighting with Kurdish groups and upset the relative stability of northern Iraq.

Turkey has accused mainstream⁵ Iraqi Kurdish groups of turning a blind eye to PKK activities in the region. Spokesman McCormack said while more work needs to be done, the approach to the problem by Iraqi authorities, including Kurdish regional leaders, is becoming more coherent.

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

3 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

4 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

5 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。