VOA标准英语2009年-Demands For More Reform by Turkey Lessen E

By Dorian Jones
Ankara
15 October 2009

 

 
The European Commission's annual progress report on Turkish membership says Ankara has improved its handling of human rights issues and the Kurdish minority. But it says that a lot more work needs to be done for it to become an EU member. The report is being met with little enthusiasm in Turkey as doubts over its bid to become a member continues to grow.

The European Commission's annual progress report on Turkish membership said Ankara has made some improvements on handling of human rights but said Turkey needs to speed up reforms to boost its chances of joining the bloc¹.

The EU and Turkey started membership negotiations³ in 2005, but they have made little progress since, while France and Germany have expressed opposition⁴ to Turkey's bid.

The report's findings were welcomed by Ergemen Bagis, the cabinet minister responsible for Turkey's bid to join the EU.

He said the Democratic initiatives introduced by our government have been met with praise and he said the necessity of taking concrete steps alongside this wide ranging process is emphasized.   He also said the steps such as Turkey's continuing dialogue with the non-muslim communities as well as its relationship with Armenia are all included in the report in positive terms.

But Professor Cengiz Aktar,  head of European Union studies at Istanbul's Bachesehir University, says such reports from the commission are becoming just an academic exercise. "Total schizophrenia. On the one hand, Turkey is now moving and the government is moving with this Kurdish opening and this opening towards Armenia and many other things on its way. All is in line with the EU membership (requirements), and the negotiations are completely stalled. It is day and night. Europe is absent, the commission is there but the European Union member states are not there. They are not supporting Turkey in its endeavors," he said.

One area of contention⁵ between both sides involves Cyprus.  A member of the European Union since 2004, Cyprus has no diplomatic relations with Turkey which invaded the island's  northern third after a brief Greek inspired coup⁶ in 1974.

In its report, the EU executive arm said Turkey made no progress in normalizing relations with Cyprus, adding that it was urgent that Ankara open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot traffic.

But Suat Kiniklioglu, spokesman for the Turkish parliamentary foreign affairs committee, says Turkey won't do so until the EU honors it commitment to Turkish Cypriots. "Our policy is conditioned. The European Union has told us that direct trade with Turkish Cyprus would be established. That did not happen. As long that does not happen, there is no way we are going to open the ports to Greek Cyprus," he said.

Brussels had indicated that it would lift the embargo⁷ if Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of a U.N.-sponsored unification plan. They did, but the Greeks rejected it. 

The row over the ports could reach a head at the end of this year. Under a protocol⁸ signed by Turkey, the country risks having the talks suspended by the EU unless it opens its ports to Greek Cyprus by December.

Richard Howitt of the European Parliament's Committee on Turkey warns that Ankara is in danger of throwing away all the good work it has achieved so far. "I warned them that there isn't too much ambiguity⁹. I would argue no ambiguity in that legal text agreed by the council ministers. So, don't underestimate the threat of the talks being suspended altogether," he said.

But analysts¹⁰ say such a threat does not carry the weight it once did in Turkey.  Professor Aktar of Bachesehir University says the rapid progress of EU applicant¹¹ Croatia only adds to Turkish resentment¹².  The report gave no entry date for Croatia, but reports say the former Yugoslav state could become the EU's 28th member in 2012 after ratification¹³ of its accession treaty. "Croatia, who started the negotiation² process the same day as Turkey, will probably will be ready by the end of 2010 to become a member. whereas Turkey needs over 10 years to be ready at this pace.   And they are slowly losing Turkey," he said.

There have been efforts within the EU to dilute¹⁴ the membership talks and redirect the cooperation between Turkey and the bloc to something less than full membership.    Turkey has seen this as a snub and reform has not proceeded as fast as many want.

1 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

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 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 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。

6 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

7 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

8 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

9 ambiguity   

n.模棱两可；意义不明确

参考例句：

• The telegram was misunderstood because of its ambiguity.由于电文意义不明确而造成了误解。
• Her answer was above all ambiguity.她的回答毫不含糊。

10 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。

11 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。

12 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

13 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。

14 dilute   

vt.稀释，冲淡；adj.稀释的，冲淡的

参考例句：

• The water will dilute the wine.水能使酒变淡。
• Zinc displaces the hydrogen of dilute acids.锌置换了稀酸中的氢。