美国国家公共电台 NPR--Finland clears the final hurdle and will join NATO over Russia's objection

Finland clears the final hurdle¹ and will join NATO over Russia's objection

Transcript²

Finland has been approved as a member of NATO after Turkey voted on its membership Thursday. Finland could become a member of the alliance in the coming days.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

All right. On now to European affairs - the Turkish parliament has approved Finland's request to join NATO.

SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:

It's the last step needed to seal Finland's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Both Finland and Sweden had applied³ for NATO membership following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, but Sweden's application has been blocked by Turkey and Hungary. Turkey says Sweden has been harboring Kurdish activists⁵ that the Turkish government calls terrorists.

MART?NEZ: Joining us now from Istanbul to discuss Turkey's decision is NPR's Peter Kenyon. Peter, tell us more about the vote, and why now?

PETER KENYON, BYLINE⁶: Well, this was a victory for NATO, which has been looking forward to welcoming both Finland and Sweden into the alliance. And as you mentioned, it was the Russian invasion of Ukraine that really caused both Stockholm and Helsinki to want to be full NATO members. This certainly is a blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has long opposed any eastward⁷ expansion by NATO. So this ratification⁸ vote now clears the way for Finland to formally join the alliance as a full member.

MART?NEZ: All right. But as we mentioned, Turkey is not budging⁹ on Sweden's application. So what are the Swedes saying about this? And is there any chance that Turkey might back off on that and allow them to join as well?

KENYON: Well, Sweden says it accepts Finland's decision to join NATO on its own. Finland, by the way, says it will continue to press for Stockholm's accession to the military alliance. Turkey's block on Sweden's NATO accession bid has nothing to do with not wanting Stockholm to join the alliance. Turkey says it would welcome Sweden into NATO, but only if it stops giving shelter and, as Ankara puts it, also allowing propaganda platform to Kurdish militants¹⁰ that Turkey sees as terrorists. That includes the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has been in armed conflict with Turkey for decades. Ankara says Sweden has allowed the group to raise funds and spread its message, among other things.

Sweden has made some moves to address these concerns. It passed a new anti-terrorism law. That prompted the NATO secretary general to say he believes Sweden had fulfilled its commitments to Turkey and should be allowed into NATO. But Turkish officials say Sweden hasn't done enough yet. President Erdogan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has a list of more than 100 people he wants Sweden to deport¹¹ back to Turkey to face charges. Sweden says that's not possible, but it's willing to work with Ankara to see what they can do to resolve the issue.

MART?NEZ: But, you know, even without Sweden, I mean, it sounds like a pretty big deal, removing this final barrier to Finland's membership. And Russia isn't happy about this. So, I mean, considering that especially Finland, who shares this long border with Russia - this has to be a big deal.

KENYON: Oh, it is. That border is more than 800 miles long. This accession brings NATO right up to that Russian border, and that has prompted threats from Moscow. The Russian embassy in Sweden this week threatened both Sweden and Finland with retaliation¹² if they join NATO. The embassy posted a message on its Facebook page saying, quote, "If anyone believes that this will improve Europe's security, you can be sure that the new members of the hostile bloc⁴ will become a legitimate¹³ target for Russia's retaliatory¹⁴ measures, including military ones."

Now, here in Turkey, this has been something of a balancing act for President Erdogan. He's trying to maintain Turkey's status as a reliable NATO member while at the same time not angering Moscow for fear of jeopardising trade relations with Russia. Erdogan's also running for reelection in May, and there's some speculation¹⁵ here that his tough stand on Sweden's NATO bid could change after the vote.

MART?NEZ: That's NPR's Peter Kenyon in Istanbul. Peter, thanks.

KENYON: Thank you.

1 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

4 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。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

8 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。

9 budging   

v.（使）稍微移动( budge的现在分词 )；（使）改变主意，（使）让步

参考例句：

• Give it up, plumber. She's not budging. 别费劲了，水管工。她不会改变主意的。 来自互联网
• I wondered how Albert who showed no intention of budging, felt about Leopold's desertion. 对于从未有迁徙打算的艾伯特来说，我不知道它会怎样看待利奥波德这样弃它而去呢。 来自互联网

10 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

11 deport   

vt.驱逐出境

参考例句：

• We deport aliens who slip across our borders.我们把偷渡入境的外国人驱逐出境。
• More than 240 England football fans are being deported from Italy following riots last night.昨晚的骚乱发生后有240多名英格兰球迷被驱逐出意大利。

12 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

14 retaliatory   

adj.报复的

参考例句：

• The process can take years before the WTO approves retaliatory action. 在WTO通过此行动之前，这个程序恐怕要等上一阵子了。 来自互联网
• Retaliatory tariffs on China are tantamount to taxing ourselves as a punishment. 将惩罚性关税强加于中国相当于对我们自己实施课税惩罚。 来自互联网

15 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。