proposes changes to the law to allow president xijinping to remain leader beyond his second term. russia says there'll be a daily five—hour pause in the fighting, and a humanitarian corridor established in syria's rebel—held enclave of ghouta from tuesday. us president donald trump suggests he would have been braver than the armed guard who failed to confront the florida school shooter, saying he would have run in even if he wasn't armed. and this video is trending on bbc.com. europe is in the grips of a deep freeze. a front dubbed "the beast from the east" has brought freezing temperatures and snow to large swathes of the continent and the united kingdom. that's all from me now, stay with bbc world news. now on bbc news, it's time for hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk, i'm stephen sackur. south sudan's first six and a half

years as an independent country have been an unmitigated disaster. a brutal civil conflict, broken economy, famine, and epic levels of corruption. on any and every measure, the world's newest country is failing. and this, despite some of the largest oil reserves in sub—saharan africa. my guest today is south sudan's minister of petroleum, ezekiel lol gatkuoth. who or what can deliver south sudan's people from despair? ezekiel lol gatkuoth, welcome to hardtalk.

thank you, glad to be here. as i said, south sudan is just over six years old as an independent nation. in your nightmares, could you have imagined just how horrible the situation in your country would be today? thank you for having me on this show. the republic of sudan gained independence ofjuly 2011 onjuly 9. of course we are transitioning from an immigration movement to now running a state. of course, running a state is a serious business, and we are bringing together with the president republic of south sudan to forge a better future of the people of south sudan. the direction of travel is backwards and not forwards. since 2013, you have been stuck in this brutal, bloody civil conflict

inside the country. and for people like you, a generation very much involved in achieving independence, that hope and reconciliation of unity that we saw expressed around the time of independence has completely disappeared. definitely, because there are individual struggling for power. and thatis individual struggling for power. and that is why we're reckoning the situation. somebody like... he was interested in being on the top by being the president of the republic of sudan. —— south sudan. being the president of the republic of sudan. -- south sudan. this man whom you mentioned, currently exiled, he fled the country in fear of his life in 2016. he was her political mentor, you backed him for an awful long time, and you jump ship and decided to throw in your

lot with presidents all the key act, but we have at the center of sudan isa but we have at the center of sudan is a fundamental division between... there is an agreement we are implementing, signed in august of 2015, and that is what put us in the situation. myself and the vice president of south sudan, we are implementing that you agreement. what we are doing together with the president is to bring those who are not part of the agreement to be on board, so we implement the agreement, and from there we will transition from where we are now to a better future for all of us, we can have an election. better future sounds great as words, but look at reality. the civil conflict continues at pace, the latest human rights watch report came out for 2018, looking back at 2017, talking about dormant and rebel forces committing egregious abuses that

qualify as war crimes, looting and discriminatory tactics on civilians, destruction of civilian property, torture, enforced disappearance, rape, and extra additional executions. whatever you tell me about agreements in cuba, on the ground across the country, civilians are being terrorized and killed. let me tell you that these are reports, but the reality on the ground now, there is peace in cuba, you can leave the party at midnight until 2-3 am. it is leave the party at midnight until 2—3 am. it is not like what it used to be and 2013, 2a team, 2015... your entire population has been forced to flee their homes? 0ne third. you can talk to me about freedom, but across the nation, there are people who have fled in fear of their lives, tens to

hundreds of thousands living in idp camps, and those are the ones who have not fled into the neighboring states. that is what i am telling you, of course there are people in uganda, people in ethiopia, people who are in kenya and sudan because of the war that we had an 2013, and also in 2016. what we are doing, propaganda is there, people are being told that if you leave, the government will kill you, but well you're doing now, people are coming back because we are telling them the national dialogue, we can discuss oui’ national dialogue, we can discuss our issues, because people will —— peaceful, that our cities. our issues, because people will —— peaceful, that our citieslj our issues, because people will —— peaceful, that our cities. i have to confess i am shocked that you say these reports of the crisis continuing are nothing but propaganda. we know that even in the last year, your country has been at risk of mass famine because of the insecurity across the country. and

more than one half of your people, according to the independent international aid agencies are living with hunger right now. why i am telling you, i am not disputing the report totally, but i am saying that there are cases that are actually real. this is the breakdown ofa actually real. this is the breakdown of a nation, this is not sporadic cases in far—flung corners of south sudan, this is a nation that has failed, that is broken. we have not failed, that is broken. we have not failed, we have a government that is functioning. we have a president, a presidency in the cabinet that is functioning around the company. this country. the situation we are in, it is of our own making, we the leaders of the republic of south sudan, we are working to fix it together, all of us, the president is leading this nation, and i can assure you we are likely to get out of this. it is not unique to south sudan in africa as a

whole, we went through this transition, and now we have this liberation syndrome, when you have liberated your country, some people will say they can run a better venue, and a power struggle will happen. it is like a power struggle, in 2005-2013, happen. it is like a power struggle, in 2005—2013, there's no war in the country. he was dismissed and the leaders were dismissed with him, thatis leaders were dismissed with him, that is where it started. bleeding your previous leader will not solve this. look up at committee has said in the past about who they see is culpable for the total breakdown that i have described in your country today, the un secretary—general antonio gutierrez saying at a meeting to read it discreetly on south sudan, i have never seen a discreetly on south sudan, i have never seen a political elites with so never seen a political elites with so little interest in the well—being of its own people. of course this is his opinion, and i can agree with

his opinion, and i can agree with his opinion. he might be right in some cases, but not everybody is not putting everybody‘s people best interest at heart. regardless of the challenges we face, because if you look at it now, there are people who are trying to drag us down. but we are trying to drag us down. but we are moving forward, we are moving forward by... but to move forward, you must be honest about the situation, and you have dismissed much of what i have reported as propaganda. and it is interesting that when mark green, the head of usaid, one of the key donor countries looking to help in south sudan, when he saw the president really, he emerged and close to sources close to him said, and i'm quoting for the us media, that he was shocked to be lied to so brazenly by the president about the situation the country. and mr green

and then said he would undertake a com plete and then said he would undertake a complete review of american policy toward south sudan. the americans have given up on your government. this is his opinion, and we respect that. the us is our ally, and they will continue to be an ally. they had been a bit difficult with us recently... had been a bit difficult with us recently. . . why had been a bit difficult with us recently... why do you think that is? they have imposed an arms embargo, sanctions on your two senior generals, and accusing them all of outrageous levels of collection description. —— corruption. america is an ally, a friend us and the people of south sudan. but for them, you do not sanction your friends, you sudan. but for them, you do not sanction yourfriends, you do not create ha rd sanction yourfriends, you do not create hard positions when it comes to herfriends. create hard positions when it comes to her friends. if you think your friends are betraying the interest of your own people... you advise and

guide yourfriends, you do not station i'm. there comes a friend -- point where you can be friends no longer with people who are consistently betraying you. longer with people who are consistently betraying youm longer with people who are consistently betraying you. it is u nfortu nate if consistently betraying you. it is unfortunate if the government —— american government can take that route, but we will continue to reach out for the support of the us. minister, let's pick away at the specifics. you tell me your government is committed to reconciliation, unity, and building the country. why is that in the recent talks under the auspices of the intergovernmental authority, there is a regional effort to get there is a regional effort to get the south sudan conflict under control and stabilize the situation. the government side, your side simply walked away from the talks when the opposition put together a proposal on a national unity government? is the opposite, the president is committed to the revitalization of the agreement. in actual terms, it means that that was

not part of the agreement, they should be brought on board. what we are proposing is we have to bring them on board so we implement the agreement. how do you bring them on board? including them by expanding the government. 0ur president and vice president, the presidency remains intact, you create a layer... remains intact, you create a layer. . . the remains intact, you create a layer... the bottom line is the secretary—general of one of the opposition groups, the south sudan national movement for change, said that the dutch government delegation simply was not willing to end the violence in south sudan because in the end, there were too many interests, particularly in the military, who see a profit to be made. and out of the continued conflict... made. and out of the continued conflict. . . that made. and out of the continued conflict... that is the opposite, we are conflict... that is the opposite, we a re interested, conflict... that is the opposite, we are interested, that is why we came up are interested, that is why we came up with a proposal that can include everybody. when you are including, you do not exclude, so you can be pa rt you do not exclude, so you can be part of the process to implement the agreement. so that everybody is

party to this agreement, and when we implement, we will do it together and then transition together to a democratic election. the problem is, asi democratic election. the problem is, as i keep saying on the ground, the reality does not match your very optimistic and competent —— confident words. that matters more to you then must people because you are the minister responsible for oil and gas production. and as we see right now, oil and gas production is way down on the levels it was even before independence, because of the chronic insecurity across the oilfields. my vision now as minister of petroleum, is to increase the production so that we... tellme, barrels per day right now? 143 thousands a day. what was it beforehand? thousands a day. what was it beforehand ? you thousands a day. what was it beforehand? you are producing roughly a quarter of the oil that the region produced before the civil conflict began. the good news is

that we are actually increasing now, we are going to be reaching 200,000 barrels a day by the end of this year, and we will reopen the oil fields, and with the car and oil prices going up, we will pray that he continues to actually remain the same, we will —— we are getting better. 0ur financial situation last year, this year is better than last year, this year is better than last year, and we are moving forward. you talk about the situation financially, is it true as a deputy oil minister in your government told reuters news agency at the end of last year, is it true that your government stills —— still owns the sudanese government $1.3 billion in back payments dating back to oil production before 2012? this is the deputy minister of finance and planning. while it is true we owe them, when we split the country into

-- in 2011, them, when we split the country into —— in 2011, we realize we are taking 7596 —— in 2011, we realize we are taking 75% of the oil, and we have agreed as to countries in this period of viability of the two countries, we have agreed to give them $3 billion. you still only the best of them $1.3 billion. we are paying monthly... $1.2 billion represents possibly eight years of forward revenues... but we have done is translate this $3 billion in the barrels, how much we will pay them per barrel, so we are paying them $15 per barrel, and thatis are paying them $15 per barrel, and that is what we have done for the last three and a half years. i have extended it when i came office in 2016 for another two and a half yea rs, 2016 for another two and a half years, and we are paying and continue to pay them. the notion of the independence of your country in 2011, you are actually being squeezed by the sudanese government, they are taking a huge proportion of they are taking a huge proportion of the end, off every barrel of oil,

they also control the shipment, because it must go to their country to get to a port. in essence, sudan has a huge amount of control over your oil business? of course it is true that we are transporting our oil through sudan, and we will continue to do so. we are one country and one people, and we will continue to be friends and brothers... excuse me, youjust fought a war against his people, and you are now admitting that khartoum has control over your key industry? because the pipeline has been transporting these products, and we will continue to use it. politics is politics, but the people of sudan and south sudan were made to be there, and that is why we have realize we have to cooperate as two countries so that we can transport the oil. it will benefit the people of south sudan and sudan, and this is the spirit we are approaching all theseissues is the spirit we are approaching all these issues with. bottom line, minister, when you desperately

appealfor minister, when you desperately appeal for international investment in youroiland gas appeal for international investment in your oil and gas sector, the big players like exxon mobil, hotel and others, they look at what is happening on the ground, the chronic insecurity, the relationship of sedan, the failure to deliver on infrastructure or any semblance of real government and your country, and they say they want no part of it. is actually the opposite. from here on, i will be flying to paris. my here on, i will be flying to paris. my president last month flew to... they're my president last month flew to... they‘ re interested. my president last month flew to... they're interested. weird discussing with tallow, a british—based company... they supposedly said last year they were putting any ambitions they had in south sudan on hold because of the insecurity in your country. is the opposite, i was the one who told them that we needed to reach an agreement as soon as possible. we all know you want them,

the question is do they want you?” am the one with the oil, they want me. you're the one with the oil, and you can only produce a quarter of what you did before? a vast amount of the revenue goes to the student sudanese government, their government is crippled in debt... i like the smile, but you have nothing to smile about. by the way, you're forgetting that cnbc, the chinese state owned company east of sedan —— sudan... i'm not forgetting, but when people look at investing in your oil and gas oil business, they see nothing but danger, risk, insecurity. it is actually the opposite, what we have decided so far, the president of the republic decreed a petroleum security force, responsible for the protection of oil workers and oilfields. 0ilfields are 100% secure as we speak now. the kidnapping that happened last year,

it was a wake—up call so that we can beef up our security. so what i can actually tell you, openly and honestly, i will post oilfields and oil workers are secure, that is why iam here oil workers are secure, that is why i am here talking to to tell, i met tallow here, and they're interested and we will reach an agreement on the block to and b—2 soon. and we will reach an agreement on the block to and b-2 soon. you are an optimist. let's just assume for a moment that you are right and that you can ramp up oil production in a fairly dramatic way over the next few years. the problem with that is the question becomes where would oil reve nu es the question becomes where would oil revenues go? and we know the way from which independent experts have a nalyzed from which independent experts have analyzed the governments in south sudan, we know that the vast proportion of that money will simply go to the elites, warlords, the top officials in the military, and in the government who siphon off vast

amounts of cash and endemic corruption. corruption is not unique to south sudan alone, it is everywhere in the world. we are lacking in south sudan is strong institutions. if we can have institutions. if we can have institutions that can fight corruption, and we are appealing to friends and partners, let us work together to build institutions in south sudan so the corrupt politicians can be fought. why would anyone believe you in south sudan are capable of doing that? john pendergrass, one of the most respected analysts of corruption in africa, described the south sudan government as a den of thieves. he says it is a kleptocratic winner ta ke says it is a kleptocratic winner take all state, with institutions that have been hijacked by government officials and commercial collaborators for the purpose of self enrichment. that is his

opinion, in that report, which i read, there are lots of loopholes he did not do a thorough job of researching. i'm not saying there is no corruption in south sudan, that is corruption here in the united kingdom, everywhere in the world, thatis kingdom, everywhere in the world, that is corruption. the difference between the uk and us —— us and south sudan, here there are get this institutions built to deal with that, and that is what we're doing asa that, and that is what we're doing as a government we have a policy on zero tolerance on corruption, but... that's absurd in south sudan today, with respect. corruption is everywhere, and to take one example which comes back to what happens to the oil revenues, an activist website looking at corruption made a special study of what happens to the best amount of oil revenue, which

goes into security, military institutions in sudan, it seems more than half of all the oil revenues. and according to the century, there is no way to discover exactly where the money goes, no transparency whatsoever. the military involves a long and complicated patronage system, there is little oversight of payroll expenses, with leading security ministers rarely reporting their expenditures. in many cases, military commanders have stolen the salaries of soldiers. there are tens of thousands of ghost soldiers. that is what i said, strong institutions to actually fight this device called corruption. you acknowledge that is what is happening today in your country? if what you're reading now, transparency, if you do not have a strong system to look at the ministry of finance to work with

them, so that you know... it is very clear how many battles —— barrels we producing a day. we the price of oil worldwide... producing a day. we the price of oil worldwide. . . the producing a day. we the price of oil worldwide... the issue is where does the money go? this is where the budget matters. you need to follow this with the minister of finance in parliament so you can actually know and follow where the money goes, because that is what they are budgeted for. some are actually used for education, health care, salaries... u/ those budgets in recent yea rs, salaries... u/ those budgets in recent years, you know that, the one budget that has not been/ is the security budget. there is absolutely no way of knowing where most of the money into security budget actually goes. stephen, anywhere in the world, you must make sure you protect the people of south sudan by empowering your security force. as we have discussed, there is no security in south sudan today. we're almost out of time, and i think this is the right time to you this. how

do you think the generation, your generation, the generation who delivered and oversaw the independence of south sudan, how do you think your generation will be judged by history? history will definitely be written, and for us, i participated in the second war of 1983. we went wrong as leaders, but we are here to fix it, and before we ask that, we will make sure we fix it together as south sudan. that is why we've launched a national dialogue so that we can talk to others. find out how we went wrong and how to fix it, and that is being implement it. we must implement this agreement so we can transition. those who are interested in running for offices, whether you want to be a president or something else, you wait until the right time comes, and from there, you are on. we have to end here, but ezekiel lol gatkuoth, thank you very much. thank you, thank you very much. thank you,

thank you. think you very much. -- thank you. think you very much. -- thank you. think you very much. -- thank you very much. winter refuses to relinquish its grip across the uk, but notjust the uk, across the whole of europe at the moment. siberian air is billing across europe, having such a dramatic impact. we have some snow at the moment, but we still have weather warnings in force. the affected areas will be the fourth —— far northeast of england, and also stretching down across the essex

kent and sussex coastline, where we could see significant accumulation starting to develop towards doren. the met office has issued an amber warning for these two areas, we could see 5—10 cm of snow, which could see 5—10 cm of snow, which could affect the commute into london, which will affect you if you are driving or commuting. stay tuned the bbc local radio stations, particularly for things in the morning, but it does look like those stone showers will continue being driven along by a brisk northeasterly breeze, perhaps as we go to the afternoon, a brief lull in proceedings across the southeast. but it will certainly have an impact throughout the day. it is going to feel bitterly cold out there for all of us with dosimeters really struggling. the rest of the sunshine and perhaps reserve a bit further west. as we move into wednesday, we still have the met office weather warnings preparing for destruction, but it changes up in the northeast of england affecting eastern scotland. again, we could see you

5-10 scotland. again, we could see you 5—10 cm, maybe more in places. the winds will strengthen as well, creating some blizzard like conditions, and it may drive the snow showers a little bit further inland. the winds of swing around to a southeasterly direction, so it means the southeast may have escaped them. again, another bitterly cold day for all, with his temperatures really struggling. add in the wind chill, and it will feel well below freezing out there. as we moved out of wednesday and thursday, we still have a frequent rash of showers across the north, but ijust want to draw your attention to what is happening down south. there is an area of low pressure set to move in, and asa area of low pressure set to move in, and as a bumped into this air dash area, it could bring more persistent, heavy snowfall. there is still a level of uncertainty as to where this area of low pressure will tend to settle, moving up all the way from iberia across france as a bumped into the cold air for way from iberia across france as a bumped into the cold airfor a time across central and southern england and northern ireland, so we could

see some significant snow. this is a newsday on the bbc. rico hizon in singapore. the headlines. chinese censors block online debate — as president xi's given the right to rule indefinitely. but a few critics speak out. translation: if the leader stays in office too long, and if power becomes too concentrated, then eventually, power becomes evil. russia orders a daily five—hour ceasefire — to allow civilians to leave the besieged syrian syrian enclave of ghouta. also in the programme. india mourns bollywood's sridevi kapoor, amid new revelations about how she died. and we visit the resting place of millions of damaged korans,