>> with the geneva talks looming, the diplomacy is intensified. the syrian foreign ministry and the iranen foreign pinster here to speak with the russian foreign minister. we have more from moscow. >> hello, and welcome to al jazeera in doha. the election campaign in india, but so far he stint named official candidate for prime

minister. mass killings and mass migration in the central african republic. the u.n. issues a stark warning. >> the elements are there. the seeds are there for genoci genocide. >> and uncertain future for thousands o deported from saudi arabia. diplomatic activity is intensifying ahead of the so-called geneva 2 peace talks. hosting their syrian counterparts. meanwhile they'll decide whether they'll go to switzerland for the january 21st meeting. secretary of state john kerry has urged him to go, and he has told the assad regime that it

remains a center aim of the talk. >> down kerry rejected syrian efforts to change the focus of geneva two from ending the civil war and installing an interim government to end terrorism. i called it an attempt to change history and said it wouldn't work. >> it defies logic to imagine that those who use brutality, how they could lead syria away from extremism to a better future is beyond logic or common sense. >> reporter: the syrian foreign minister tried to shift the focus of the conference when he accepted to attend geneva two. he wrote:

>> reporter: kerry leaned on the syrian people to unite. >> so on the eve of the coalition general assembly meeting tomorrow to decide to meet in the peace conference, the united states for these reasons urges a positive vote. >> reporter: syrian opposition spokesman said its important that all sides try to deal in good faith. >> it's the six principles of the geneva communique, we need to force them to come out and say i accept all the principles, otherwise the peace talks would be a waste of time. no one is interested in that. >> reporter: to seek more humanitarian aid for the hundreds of thousand was displaced syrians both inside and outside of their country. but there is still questions about whether the conference can

make a real conference in the nearly thre three-year-long civl war. no one knows what will come out of geneva two, a cease-fire, or timeline for ali velshi to step al-assad to step aside. >> so paul, what will thesal leads of al-assad regime, the syrian and russian foreign minister who has already met with iran's foreign minister, what are they discussing here? >> reporter: geneva two is dominating, and there will be strategic thinking, working out what happens if the syrian opposition brings such and such

proposal to the table. it was remarkable at the news conference which took place on thursday between the russian foreign minister, how relaxed they were. they looked supremely confident, and it's a stark contrast from what we're hearing from istanbul which is the infighting within the syrian opposition. this looks very comfortable with their position at the moment, their diplomatic position. we heard from the report that the syrian foreign minister not really accepting the premise of geneva two, the invitation. and that might be what causes an important in geneva two, the two nations, america and russia, as to what the basis of the talks

are. they say it's the accord, the communique agreed to june 2012, but both sides have interpretations of what that accord meant. it will be very difficult communications, but between the syrian foreign minister and his russian counterpart, i would have to say the close allies really do very confident to head to geneva two. >> those two, those parties who are brokering these talks, russia and the u.s. have they been able to agree on iran's role in geneva two. oh do we know if it's going to attend geneva two yet. >> reporter: the invitations have not officially been

extended. it is up to u.s. official ban ki-moon to extend the invitation. they would like to see iran invited. russia very keen to see iran at the table because from russia's point of view they believe that iran and saudi arabia's involvement is vital to provide a regional stability to the conflict. they believe it's far wider than syrian borders. the problem is america wants to see far more from iran that they will abide by what i mentioned before, the geneva communique issued in 2012. the problem is iran were adamant that they were not going to make such explicit undertakings. >> thank you very much for that, paul. you can see those pictures on your screen. they're from moscow.

we were expecting the russian and iranian foreign ministers any minute. we'll go back when that gets back under way. the violence in syria has once again spilled over into lebanon. three people have been killed when a car bomb exploded. a group linked to al-qaeda has claimed responsibility for the attack. the trial of four hezbollah members accused of killing a former prime minister is due to resume in the netherlands shortly. the the accused men will deny involvement in the car bombing in beirut nine years ago. reporting for the big majority of those who voted in the recent referendum on a new constitution said yes according

to the newspaper. around 90% anythings voted in favor. the military-backed government said half the people turned out to vote on the referendum. and al jazeera continues to call for the immediate release of five of its journalist who is are still being detained in egypt. mohamed fahmy and bad er mohammed and peter greste are charged with joining terrorist groups, which al jazeera claims is fabricated. the other two journalists, they have been detained for five months. at least 22 people have been injured in a blast at an opposition demonstration in the

thai capitol bangkok. india's ruling party announced that gandhi will rul run the campaign. one of india's famous political families, but he runs an uphill battle. the election is expected to be held in several stages during april and may. so exactly who is rahul gandhi. he has been a member of parliament since winning his father's seat in 2004. he belongs to one of india's oldest political dynasties. his father, grandmother and great grandfather were all employments. hiemployments--prime ministers.

>> reporter: it was a much anticipated decision in delhi, and it was announced by one of the senior members of the congress working commitments. rahul would lead the party in the general election. but for the moment they put on the back burner whether he would be the prime ministerial candidate. his mother vetoed that decision for a later date. that's not too strange in the larger picture because the congress party have fought the germ election in the past, and never decided who would be the prime ministerial candidate until all the parliamentarians have been voted, and they would choose someone from that group. they haven't totally decided that rahul will not be prime minister. they just decided to postpone

that decision to see what the results of the election will be. that i that that has been something that they've had to explain. all the cabinet members will all be talking in this one-day meet. they'll be explaining not only their decision about how the election will be fought, but also how they're going to fight that policy-making scenario to the wider public. of course, congress has both slacking reputation the country having lost the major state's elections. >> at least three people have been killed in over 20 others injured in a train bombing in pakistan. it happened in the central town. the train was heading south when the bomb exploded. no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. australia has admitted going

into indonesian territorial water while trying to stop boats full of asylum seekers. they declined to provide further details. australian employment said he had been informed earlier of the incident. >> we deeply regret these events and offer an apology, however the australian government remains vigilant to imprinting the policies to stop the boats. we'll assure that those bridging the australian sovereignty are rectified and will not occur.

>> momore than a thousand people had been killed las since the fighting occurred last month. >> in places like rwanda and the elements are there for a genocide. there is no question about that. the consequences will be dramatic if we don't act immediately and effectively. equally, if we do act immediately and effectively, we could turn the corner here. >> well, the violence has displaced more than a million people. 100,000 have found refuge at bangui airport. >> reporter: welcome to bangui airport where military power and some of the most wretched people on earth are in real

juxtaposition. the many taxis in through the refugee camps. on board the first contingent of rwandan soldiers to join the peace keepers here. rwandrwanda's soldier have the e of strong soldiers. in this camp everyone is christian driven from their homes from the seleka. >> the real challenge is to convince peopling to home. we're not seeing significant signs that that is happening yet. for now these people feel it's simply too dangerous for them to return to their neighborhoods. >> reporter: better, they say, to live here in squalor than risk being shot in their own

homes. >> conditions are not ideal. there are nola teens. there is no rubbing water, very little space for people to sleep. this is not a good, healthy environment particularly for the children we see in the camp. >> muslims are also afraid, and they continue to leave bangui. this is a convoy setting off for chad. we saw chadian soldiers protecting the convoy. christians jeered. many accuse chad of supporting the seleka militia. african peace keepers decided to intervene before things got uglier. meanwhile back at the airport a calmer evacuation. this one of sudanese who say they are a target because of their religion. >> wilbecause we are muslim. >> will you come back here?

>> no. >> reporter: bangui was a city where people lived peacefully together recreating that climate of tolerance will not be easy. >> we have still more to come on al jazeera, including-- >> if he left me alive. i don't know if i will survive. >> the lost boys and girls of south sudan. the children fleeing to kenya. the new treatment for hepatitis-c. doctors say it could improve the lives of millions. ho>>

>> good to have you with us. these are the top stories on al jazeera. the u.s. secretary of state are urging all sides of the syrian conflict to attend next week's talks and ending the civil war. the syrian foreign minister is in talks with its russian counterpart. they're expected to hold a press conference shortly. the united nations is warning to act now to avoid a genocide in center african republic. more than a thousand people were killed last month in attacks against rival groups. and rahul gandhi will run for congress. several opinion polls predict

defeat. an u.n. human rights officer has told al jazeera that parts of south sudan have been reduced to ghost towns. thousands have died in weeks of fighting between government forces and rebels loyal to former vice president riek machar. >> i can confirm that both sides were involved with atrocities, and they're punishable under international law. there certainly would be differences in atrocities, but again, i'm just returning from beniu and bor. they are ghost towns. bentiu, there is no bentiu any more. when we were passing by we were passing by unburied bodies, and just driving from bentiu, we saw

15 to 20 bodies. we didn't go look into houses. we didn't look for bodies but they are there. >> well, the violence has forced thousands to flee. aid works say 80% of the refugees crossing south sudan into kenya are children. many are making the trip alone after losing their parents. >> reporter: when the fighting in south sudan got out of hand, he clutched his bible and ran. his father was shot dead. he continued walk and they brought him here to this camp. >> many people have died. it's only god leaving me alive because i was running, i don't

know if i will survive. >> reporter: aid workers say 80% of those crossing the border every day are children. many have been making the dangerous journey unaccompanied by parents or adult relatives. it was a repeat of what happened in the 20-year war in sudan when thousands of children were left roaming east africa alone. they were called the lost boys. hundreds are believed to be among the new rivals here. >> the main challenge is how do we settle these children in within the camp population? you see the children. you see children, and young pregnant teenagers. >> reporter: when the children arrive here they're interviewed to determine their needs and whether they can be connected to relatives in the camp. they're reluctant to leave them with unrelated tribesmen where

they fear abuse. guards keep a close eye on the gate. this is not exactly an orderly place, and oftentimes there is chaos. the confusion here one of the boys followed the crowd and go luckily he was found and brought back here. this is one of the tents where unaccompanied children stay. they're fed three times a day but not everyone has an appetite. this 17-year-old and her brothers were separated from their mother in the fighting in bor. >> there are many of things on my mind. what would happen to us if our mother had died. we're only children. there is none to care for us. >> reporter: ithis war has not only taken away their families

but it has taken their childho childhood. >> replacing the army, navy and aforce and announced the resignation after mass defections to increasingly powerful opposition. the fight in northeast nigeria has killed thousands of people over the past five years. more than 150,000 ethiopians have been deported from saudi arabia in the past two months as part of a crackdown by workers to create morning jobs for locals. deported ethiopians have returned home to an uncertain future. >> they left home to escape poverty, but many of them returned empty handed and complaining of abuse by authorities. >> when the deportation started i handed myself over to the

government because i had no legal papers. i was detained for a month. there were many of us in detention. we were beaten and verbally abused. >> reporter: the united nations international organization for migration has also expressed concern about the mistreatment of the deported workers. >> we've had women who arrived, who are eight-, nine-months pregnant. women who have gotten over the plane or bus, we've had to rush them to the delivery process. >> five times more than the government had planned for in its problem. yet this is an opposite progression that is far from complete. as thousands more are returned from saudi arabia. >> reporter: they went to the border into yemen before setting off on foot. while waiting to be taken home,

they stay at the center that belongs to the iom. hundreds are bussed home every day returning to a life that they once tried to leave behind. >> i don't know what i'm going to do. i'm sure god will give me opportunities here at home. >> we're interrupting that story to take you to moscow how where thwhere therussian foreign minil speak.

>> not much time is left. not much days are left until this conference in montreal and of course we're concerned that at the same time when the government of syria for a long time now expressed their agreement to take part in the conference, there were no similar steps on the part of the opposition, no similar steps taken by the opposition, and they're delayed by their actio actions. >> we do apologize for that slight delay in translation.

it is being translated on location. >> we think very troubling are concentrated going to the geneva conference while ignore opposition groups, first of all those groups that act inside syrian territory and show interest, active interest to take part of geneva two, first the organization committees and organizations.

>> corresponding signals are brought and we hope that the signals will be