VOA标准英语2009年-Turkey Targets PKK in Iraq After Deadly Mi

Turkey's military says its warplanes have attacked Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, following a landmine¹ explosion that killed six Turkish soldiers and wounded eight others. Meanwhile several pro-Kurdish party members of parliament are under investigation².

The Kurdish rebel's senior commander, Murat Karayilan, said recently his PKK no longer sought an independent Kurdish state, but recognition of Kurdish rights and identity.

The gesture has been interpreted as an olive branch that could help in ending the PKK's 25-year-long conflict with Turkey that has cost 40,000 lives.

Parliamentary foreign affairs spokesman Suat Knikliogllu says the country could be on the verge³ of a breakthrough.

"This is the time when the most courageous⁴ and important steps in the Kurdish question might be taken," he said. "There is much more harmony in the upper echelons⁵ of Turkish decision making namely the Turkish armed forces, the government, the presidency⁶ and I think the majority of our society, understands that the Kurdish question is the number one priority of this country, as our president recently said."

But for the last few weeks, the country's main Kurdish political party, the Democratic Society Party, is facing an intense crackdown by state prosecutors⁷ and the security forces.

Prosecutors are demanding to question five Kurdish deputies, but the deputies are refusing to cooperate, citing parliamentary immunity⁸. The impasse⁹ could result in a political crisis.

Police launched raids at party offices and trade unions for alleged¹⁰ links with the PKK rebel groups. The timing¹¹ of the crackdown is unfortunate, says government member Suat Kiniklioglu.

"One wishes it would not happen now, but you should not forget that there is not one singular arm in Turkey that directs everything on the Kurdish question. There are many other circles in Turkey which have very different opinions about how this issue should be solved or solved at all," added Kiniklioglu. "But we as a government are believing there is right now an opportunity that could maybe result in an historic solution of this issue."

The government is expected in the coming weeks to announce a Kurdish reform program aimed at ending the conflict with the PKK. But critics question the sincerity¹² of the government while it still refuses to talk with the Democratic Society Party. All eyes are now on Turkish President Abdullah Gul who has made ending the conflict his number-one priority.

1 landmine   

n.地雷

参考例句：

• A landmine is a kind of weapon used in war.地雷是一种运用于战争的武器。
• The treaty bans the use,production and trade of landmine.那条约禁止使用生产和交易雷。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

4 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

5 echelons   

n.（机构中的）等级，阶层( echelon的名词复数 )；（军舰、士兵、飞机等的）梯形编队

参考例句：

• Officers were drawn largely from the top echelons of society. 这些官员大都来自社会上层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Except in the higher echelons, extensive classification has no place in the classification of vegetation. 除高阶类级之外，外延分类在植物分类中还是没有地位的。 来自辞典例句

6 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

9 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

10 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

11 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

12 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。