VOA标准英语2009年-Turkey Under Increasing Pressure to Reopen

When U.S. President Barrack Obama visited Turkey last month, he raised the plight¹ of a small religious school of the Greek Orthodox Church. The Halki seminary was closed by the government in 1971, and despite intense pressure by the church and diplomats² the school has remained shut. But pressure is growing on Ankara to reopen the school.

Deacon Doratheos looks after the 165-year old Halki theological school, for the long-awaited time when it reopens its doors. "Here is one of the classes, when the school was at its height there were never more than 120 students. Very few students, good professors so they can have an excellent education. ...We try to keep it clean and well for re-opening," he said.

The school was closed in 1971, as part of legislation to close independent university institutions. But observers say the closure was as much to do with the then high tensions between Turkey and Greece over the island of Cyprus.

Doratheos says the school is crucial to the 60,000-member Greek Orthodox community. The school is the only institution in Turkey that can train priests, and Doratheos says without the school it is becoming increasingly difficult for the church to replace aging priests.

"Each church, each chapel³ must have its own priest. We cannot imagine a baby unbaptized or one who is dead not to have a priest to conduct the last prayers for him. All those graduates before hand from this school, they were very successful as priests as bishops⁵ and as patriarchs," he said.

Supporters of the school's re-opening recently got a boost when President Obama spoke⁶ in Turkey's parliament. "For democracies cannot be static, they must move forward, freedom of religion and expression lead to a strong and vibrant⁷ civil society that only strengthens the state. Which is why steps like opening Halki Seminary will send such a an important signal inside Turkey and beyond," he said.

The president's call is echoed by the European Union, which Turkey is seeking to join. Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Spokesman Suat Kiniklioglu says the Turkish government does not oppose reopening the school, but only under certain conditions.

"I do not think it can be solved in the short term. In essence our government has no objection for the school to be reopened and for it to train ... priests for the Greek Orthodox Church. But if the school was to function outside the national education umbrella there could be a multitude of other schools being set up that would seek similar exemption⁹ from the national education system. That is something we are not ready to do. But if the Greek Orthodox Church agrees to have the school part of the Turkish educational system there is no problem," he said.

But the offer has been dismissed by the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Bishop⁴ Gennadios, says the school's specialized¹⁰ role of training priests does not fit the country's university structure.

"We would like have our school as it was before. It is not a medical school or school for engineers. It is school which is not just to train priests for our community here in Istanbul, but also other Orthodox churches around the world. And I think this is our right, to have our schools like our churches. And everything that is related to this community, which did not came from outside but is part of this land. They were born here. They are Turkish citizens. They serve in the army. They are loyal to society and as a Turkish citizens they have also their own rights," he said.

At a local church a small service is being held by an aging priest. With no new priests there is growing concern about for the future of the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul.

Speaking to worshippers, there is concern for the future and feelings of discrimination. This man's view is typical.

As a citizen of Turkey of Greek decent it is necessary to practice my religion. There are priests who do not deserve this status, but are there just to fill the void. He says military schools are exempt⁸ from the ministry¹¹ education and the church school has to be independent as well.

Ankara is under mounting diplomatic pressure from the United States and the European Union to reopen the school, and that pressure is set to increase with the church considering taking the matter to the European Court of Human Rights.

1 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

2 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 chapel   

n.小教堂，殡仪馆

参考例句：

• The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
• She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

4 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

5 bishops   

（基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象

参考例句：

• Each player has two bishops at the start of the game. 棋赛开始时，每名棋手有两只象。
• "Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. “他劫富济贫，抢的都是郡长、主教、国王之类的富人。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

8 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。

9 exemption   

n.豁免，免税额，免除

参考例句：

• You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
• These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。

10 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

11 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。