is, of course, you have good international coverage. >> reporter: since you said you basically implied that the police and justice is doing this in part for the press, can you tell us have you ever thought of a lowest moment in history of fifa than this one? over which fifa will president blatter preside after this? >> as i said in the very beginning, you don't believe me but i know. i'm going to say it once again. this for fifa is good. it's not good in terms of image. it's not good in terms of reputation, but in terms of cleaning up and in terms of everything that we did in the

last four years. in terms of the process, this is good. we wouldn't have any interest to give to the general attorney the 18th of november if we would not have known that the consequences are exactly what we're doing right here. so for us once again, it is not a nice day, and as you know we have other things to do as well. but in the other world it's also a good day. i think the process goes on and we're looking forward to have the results because as long as you don't have complete results, it leaves room for all kinds of speculations. this is for sure not something we're looking for. on the second part i'm not saying that they did it on purpose because you guys are here but it's because it's more efficient when everybody is

here. you have also the right coverage of the media. so this for sure was not the main goal, i guess. rob, please. >> reporter: rob harrison associated press. first of all, how, when the world cup bidding process is under investigation, can you categorically rule out that those tournaments will stay in russia and qatar? many people around the world will look at the scandal and see that although seth blatter hasn't been indicted or anything but he's been head of the committee running fifa for so many years, how can he continue in power? >> because it's although it's not just something that's not important. it is important. he is not involved. how can you say although? this for me is important information. second part i mean what do you expect from us? that we start to speculate and

say, well maybe russia and qatar qatar, we have to do the voting? russia and qatar will be played. this is the fact today. i don't go into speculation what will happen tomorrow and so on. this is what i can tell you. not more and not less. next one, please. >> reporter: thank you. channel 4 news. following on from robert's question, in any normal organization that has received scandal crisis for decades and again today, two big investigations, the leadership the senior leadership would be held accountable. why on earth is mr. blatter still the right person to run fifa and secondly you said that

fifa is the damaged party here. is it not the case it's the billions of football fans around the world that are the damaged party? >> i agree for the football fans. on the first part what do you want me to answer? the president is not involved. of course, he's the head of fifa but he's not involved in any, so how can you say, okay he has to -- whatsoever step down? he's the president. he's the president. he's the president, and in two days there are elections. if the 209 members re-elect him, then he's the president for the next four years. please. >> can you confirm that mr. blatter had no advanced

warning about what took place today? have you spoken to him since it took place, and can you give us an idea about what his general reaction is to what's happened? >> yes, i can confirm that none of us had an idea that this morning at 6:00 they will start their direction, because if i would have had information, i can assure you i would have gone to bed earlier yesterday. so there was no way that we could know that and that's normal. the general attorney they will not tell us listen we are coming tomorrow at 6:00. we're all surprised, and that's why i decided after talking to the president and his general secretary, we'll do a press conference right now, although all the information you might need to have i don't have them.

we would have prepared this in another way if we would have known that. so we were surprised as you guys were. >> reporter: [ inaudible question ] >> the motion of the president. well i mean first of all, he's focused on the congress and this is for everybody involved. the stress factor is a little higher today than it was yesterday. i mean it's quite relaxed, because he knows and knew it before and has confirmed that once again today he's not involved. he's not involved in that. all the rest he's going to accept what will happen. i'm sorry if i i'm going to repeat myself but it was fifa the 18th of november who asked the general attorney to open the

case. let's go to the first row and then let's take a swiss journalist. i'll give it back to you. >> reporter: sam borden from "the new york times," walter. given all the scandals that the fans of football have seen over the year is it still the position of mr. blatter and fifa that the garcia report shouldn't be made public for those fans to see? >> i'm surprised that you're asking these questions, because basically you're informed. you know that last year all the people that are there, you know that the executive committee last year decided yes, we're going to publish the garcia report after all those open cases are solved. so the garcia report once again, will be published not only for you guys but for the

general public. then you can read whatever you're interested in. so the garcia report will be published. yes, please. >> reporter: richard conway from bbc. the statement from the department of justice in the u.s. that's been released in the last few minutes says that this is not the end of their investigations. mr. blatter said in december that fifa was in a crisis and it now wasn't. did today's events plunge this organization back into another crisis? >> on the first question it's not up to me to comment what they just said. if they go on then they go on. the second part yes, i just am sorry. i have to repeat myself. but for us it's a hard time. it's not nice to be here in front of you trying to explain

something that is not nice. at the same time and for us and for fifa this is good what happens. it confirms that we are on the right track. it hurts. it's not easy but it's the only way to go. we are ready to go the way we started four years ago and nothing would help us. now i give the floor to you, please. >> reporter: peter hallsley. there's an extradition agreement with the u.s. and canada. how are the travel plans of the sepp blatter being revised going to canada for the women's world

cup? >> well as to the travel plans of the members, i certainly have no information whatsoever. that's up to them how and when they travel. the travel plans of the president are not changing. as planned he will travel to canada i think more towards the final match. it is not as i read in various media that the president would avoid the u.s. for fear of being questioned at the airport. yes, there is an agreement between switzerland and the u.s. for legal help so if somebody has to be questioned by the u.s. authorities, they can ask for extradition. they don't have to wait until the next trip to the u.s.

so there's no problem. it has no interest whatsoever on the president's plans to travel but once again, i cannot comment on the travel plans of the president and its members. >> reporter: walter can you tell us a bit more what happened at 6:00 when the swiss authorities came? you say fifa cooperated fully with them. who was there to greet them today? did they smash the door down or what happened? >> charlie, at 6:00 i was sleeping. how it worked and what they did and if there was any problems to do what they had to do this is something that you have to ask my colleague from the general attorney andrew martin and he's

more than happy to give you the information. i just received a phone call around 7:00. i didn't know anything about what happened at that time. >> reporter: also you said that you [ inaudible ] legal complaint in november. did you give them the garcia files, or was it just a legal complaint? would that include the garcia files? >> they have the garcia file. >> as part of that legal complaint? >> yes, it is. so the general attorney in switzerland, they have the garcia rarts since the 18th of november or just after. here please and then we go off. another three questions, and then if there is anything else i will ask you to come once again and let me go another few questions and then we have to move on. >> reporter: sky news.

will any of the official arrested this morning be suspended from fifa as a result of their arrest? just to follow-up on what you said about the president. you say he's relaxed. how can he be relaxed? is he more interested in his own reputation or does he really care about fifa? it seems strange to say he's relaxed because he's not arrested whether fifa is once again involved? such a situation? >> thanks for this question. i can maybe correct what i just said. he's not dancing in his office. this kind of relax. we're very calm. he sees what happens. he's fully cooperative with everybody, and that's what i meant. he's not a happy man today. wow, that's really cool what happens here. but he knows this is the

consequences of what we initiated, so it's a surprise that it happened today. it's not a surprise that it happened. the second question was? >> was anyone arrested suspended? >> no. they were arrested and then we're going to see. they're not convicted yet, so we cannot just suspend someone because he's arrested. [ inaudible question ] >> i mean they have to be present. if they're not present, then they cannot vote. charlie, sorry. i started to mix up the names. >> another two questions. one here and one here. >> reporter: i'm not charlie but mike collett from reuters.

isn't this a chase of the chickens coming home to roost? bl mr. blatter talks for years about cleaning up fifa. even if you did instigate these proceedings, it's been taken out of your hands. the fbi and swiss authorities are involved and somebody else is cleaning up fifa and it's not cleaned up from within. >> we can clean up until a certain point, but then we need the support from the authorities. that's what was the statement half a year ago. why did we hand over the garcia file and other things to the general attorney? because we need support. we cannot investigate as the police can or the general prosecutor can. so that's the reason why we did it and that's the reason we fully cooperate. last question please. the second to the last.

a german one here and there. >> reporter: thank you. >> translator: if i understood you correctly, fifa will not draw consequences from what has happened because people have been arrested but not accused. what would be the condition for accusing or suspending someone? would they have to be formally accused in order to be suspended, or when will that happen? >> well you understand of course, the basic idea. there's this presumption of innocence, and you need a legal procedure and the ethics committee is involved. they will decide whether a member for whatever reasons, will be suspended. you cannot expect that at 6:00

in the morning. the attorney general shows up and arrests people and they can't be suspended right away. if there's nothing behind all that we cannot do any kind of preventative measure. this will not be the case. and once again and now it is almost 12:00, we're talking about something that started five hours ago. we're still trying to gather information and provide the federal attorney and the office of -- federal office of justice will provide the necessary information. then we shall see. but to expect now that on such short notice we would suspend people and then see what happens, that is not possible. now the very last question right here. >> translator: walter you don't want to confirm any names. that's understandable but there

are two vice presidents of fifa among the names mentioned. now, the nuew news will then confirm the world cups of 2018 and 2022. the slots for the world cup, can you do that? can you explain that? >> i cannot give you any names. you have to wait until friday and saturday to see what will happen if they are present or not present, you will have to be patient. so please accept that for the time being. i can say nothing more. we have to say we invite you for another press conference and thanks for coming on this short notice. walter degregorio is giving

a press conference from fifa headquarters in zurich responding to the arrest of officials in zurich. this news broke about five or six hours ago. some of the things that he had to say. he said that this is good for fifa but fifa is suffering. it is a difficult moment for the governing body in relation to the fifa president, sepp blatter. he said blatter is not involved in the bribery allegations, so there's no question of him stepping down. he says that the presidential election will go ahead as planned on friday. raul is our sports presenter. he was listening in to that press conference by walter de gregorio. what did you think? what really stood out for you? >> what stood out is how he tried to betray fifa and used the words "the damaged party" in all of this. he wanted to make one point clear. the raids this morning by swiss

police on offices in zurich related to fraud and corruption allegations related to the 2018 and 2022 world cup bids those were investigations that fifa themselves asked the swiss authorities to pursue. so they said they were not surprised when these raids happened and they're pleased that this process is going forward. they said they had no idea about the arrests of the senior fifa officials this morning at the hotel in zurich but they say admittedly it's not good for their image but good in the long run. this is about a process they started to fight corruption four years ago. very much trying to put themselves in a position that was a process we started. we knew there would be tough decisions to make and tough days and this is one of those tough days. in the long run this is good for fifa. >> what do we make of the timing of all of this? all the officials are gathered in zurich. >> that's the thing.

de gregorio mentioned this is probably why it happened today. they knew all the officials would be in the aim place for the vote on friday which remarkably seems to be going ahead. so it's easiest to coordinate all the events between the swiss authorities and the american authorities. it's important to mention there was a raid in miami on the offices concacaf. they cover north america and the caribbean. the former and current president is one of those we think arrested. one of their former general secretaries chuck blazer is thought to be helping the fbi in their investigations and it's alleged that he recorded conversations between himself and fifa officials that have dare we're seeing the result of this today. these raids and these arrests and this ongoing investigation. >> it's interesting. it's a double-blow for fifa. you have the six officials arrested on bribery charges as

well as that criminal investigation that's been opened into the 2018 and 2022 world cups. you talked about that as well. really ruling out any sort of revote for the 2018 and 2022 world cups when he was asked by one of the journalists. >> it's important to say it. on the 18th of november they asked us to launch this investigation into the bidding process for russia and qatar, but it was to do with isolated cases of corruption. it wasn't to do with the overall bids and he was very clear to say, de greg row, that nose world cups will go ahead. the gar see yoo reports decided small transgressions but there was nothing regarding the bids for the world cups and nothing has changed. >> thank you very much. we'll speak to you a little later on. moving to other news britain's queen elizabeth ii is about to lay out the agenda.

the newly elected government in a speech marking the opening of parliament. >> reporter: five more years of david cameron entirely unopposed. after all around the cabinet table now are only conservative allies, the first time that's happened since 1997. the conservatives have made it clear that they will portray themselves as a party that speaks for the working classes. >> i think it is absolutely vital in every decision that we take every policy we pursue every program we start is about giving everyone in our country the best chance of living a fulfilling and good life. >> reporter: the conservative government is certainly bad news for these people so-called extremist preachers find it harder to speak on the streets without being arrested. that means more powers for the spy agencies. the government is fry to pursue

objectives it hasn't been able to so far. cuts to benefits eu migrants that can't find a job in six months have to return home trying to abolish the human rights account ensuring that the u.k. doesn't have to accept people lost in the mediterranean. these might come across as right wing and they're an attempt to defuse a threat from the far right. the government knows that many labor voters feel much the same way about many issues so david cameron is trying to present himself as a man for the whole country. or perhaps the whole of england, at least if not scotland with the lib yal democrats and labor parties in total disarray the only forgs offering an opposition is the scottish national party. on big issues on whether the u.k. will leave europe in a referendum, the voice has become a crucial way. >> there's a substantial number of very strong technical arguments on the jobs and about the long-term future.

those have to be deployed in that debate now. secondly we will be deploying each and every argument. >> reporter: and what of the public mood? this happens three days after the votes at the gates of downing street. another big case is scheduled to be outlined in the queen's speech. in some ways this looks like what happens when opposition doesn't have a political focus, and that could easily lead to a lot more of it. laurence lee al jazeera, london. a voice from the united states japan and south korea are in seoul for talks to north korea's nuclear weapons program. the three countries will consult china and russia in hopes of reviving six-party peace talks with the north. it recently claimed to have tested a new type of missile from a submarine. pyongyang is urged to give up the nuclear weapons program in

return for diplomatic benefits. in india a severe heat wave killed more than 1,000 people. most of the deaths are reported in the southern states. a red alert has been issued in these states. temperatures have climbed to near 50 degrees celsius in some areas, but there's relief in sight as forecasters say the monsoon rains might hit india in the next few days. we're just coming up to the top of the hour on al jazeera. in a few minutes i'll be with us with the al jazeera news hour. i'll have all the top stories and all the top lines that have been coming out of switzerland where fifa says that the president, blatter, is not involved in the bribery allegations we've been hearing. more on that in just a moment. stay with us.

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this is al jazeera. hello, and welcome to the news hour. hiem in doha with the top stories on al jazeera. football's governing body is realing from a double-blow. six top fifa officials arrested on bribery charges and a criminal investigation has been opened into the next two world cups. the world cups 2018 and 2022 will be played in russia and qatar. also ahead, the iraqi army continues its offense you have to retake the