peace treaty with the north that would officially end the korean war, 65 years after hostilities stopped. the development follows president trump announcing high level talks are already under way with the north koreans prior to a proposed summit. syria's ambassador to the un has said a team of chemical weapons inspectors will be going within hours to the site in douma where western countries say president assad's regime carried out a chemical gas attack nearly two weeks ago. the former first lady of the united states, barbara bush, has died. she was 92. mrs bush was the matriarch of a political dynasty — only the second woman to see her husband and son sworn in as american president. she had been in failing health for some time and had declined further medical treatment a few days ago. now on bbc news, hardtalk welcome to hardtalk. we are in

geneva, the headquarters of the kofi annan foundation the marks its 10th anniversary this year. my guest in this exclusive and rare tv interview is kofi annan. in a career spanning six decades at the united nations, he has held several senior positions including two terms as secretary general until 2006. there were high points like the ward of the nobel peace prize but also tragic events like the genocide in rwanda and the bosnian massacre. after the un, kofi annan remained deeply involved in world affairs, both with his foundation and as a member of the elders, a group of former world leaders to act as troubleshooters and global hotspots. as he

celebrates his 80th birthday we talked to him and an invited audience and ask about his biggest worry is today and does he have any regrets 7 worry is today and does he have any regrets? kofi annan, welcome to hardtalk. i am happy to be here with you. you have had a very busy retirement since you left the united nations. do you think that the world isa nations. do you think that the world is a more troubled place today than it was when you left the un? first of all i have discovered that retirement is hard work. but you need to keep at it. i think that i went through difficult moment at the un. including the iraq war. but the

world is particularly messy today. when we look at what is happening in the middle east, what is happening in some parts of africa, some parts of asia and, also, the fact that i do not see a strong leader around who could cope with this. so you don't think there are strong leaders in the world today? we have donald trump in the white house and he is making very strong and robust state m e nts making very strong and robust statements about syria now, for instance, saying that the suspect had chemical attack that we have seen recently that killed dozens of people including children, needs a robust response. different people have different definitions of leadership. i believe that leadership. i believe that leadership is not about the individual. when you have macho leaders who believe they have to shine and it all has to be about

them, forgetting that what is required is a welfare of society and the people they serve. are you referring to donald trump? when you look at what has happened in syria, so many people were affected by that attack on the one last year. and he referred to the president of syria asa referred to the president of syria as a gas killing animal and he has that we need a response. to get ready for nice, new, smart missiles in syria. i do not have proof of that. i do not approve of that and i asked the secretary general about his position. i told him what is required is unfettered investigation to determine who was responsible and hold them to account and ensure that impunity is not allowed to stand. and we, the elders, we issued a statement which i, as chairman share quite a lot. that what we need are

cool heads and soberjudgement. we cannot allow situations where leaders threaten war on television 01’ on leaders threaten war on television or on twitter. do we base ourselves on fact or speed? we have seen this before. we had investigations in iraq which were not allowed to reach a decisive conclusion. we know there we re a decisive conclusion. we know there were masses “— a decisive conclusion. we know there were masses —— we were told that we re were masses —— we were told that were weapons of mass destruction but 110w were weapons of mass destruction but now we know the story. we need a strategic view. military election —— action alone, is that the solution? will they need to be a better strategy apart from that of also getting the countries and everyone to come together to resolve this crisis once and for all. i think it is much more important to push them to work together, the west and the

east, then —— and then find a solution. you are a special envoy in 2012 for the united nations and the arab league to syria and you try to come up with a plan, a political process , come up with a plan, a political process, humanitarian help and so on and you gave up. you resigned. because it is a tough thing to do, to try and work of a strategy.” because it is a tough thing to do, to try and work of a strategy. i had hoped that my resignation would have sent a powerful message to the council that you have to work together and speak with one voice. but it did not and the situation got worse and worse. 12 million displaced, 500,000 dead. object of league it is much worse now than in 2012. i think in 2012 the ball was dropped after the geneva communique. when they went back to new york. you think you were duped in that role? did you realise it was a front at

the time that you may have been used? i don't would not say it was fraudulent but i say that i lost my troops on the way to damascus. i told the council that this was an impossible task but we can make difference if we work together. at the early stages they did stay united and they came up with joint state m e nts united and they came up with joint statements and all of that. eventually it fell apart. i realised that i was, perhaps, much more serious about peace in syria than they were. the syrian conflict has shown, of course, that it is a rivalry between the united states and russia, they are both backing different partners. but now relations between the two are at their lowest debt. some commentators say it is possibly the worst since the cold war. are you worried that this rivalry between moscow and washington could escalate now?|j

this rivalry between moscow and washington could escalate now? i am concerned. i am worried. i think they have to find a way of engaging ina calm they have to find a way of engaging in a calm way and, preferably, behind—the—scenes. the sort of language that is being thrown around, coming from leaders is really unimaginable. i mean, it is interesting to hear people in your profession, journalist, saying that we are trying to make from all this noise. they are not talking about noise. they are not talking about noise from the streets. they are talking about noise from governmental headquarters, from the offices of a president. this is unusual. and, in a way, some of the things that we are witnessing today, if they had happened in a third world country, using that sort of language, the lectures that would have... language, the lectures that would have. . . what language, the lectures that would have... what sort of language. like pompeo, set to become the next secretary of state, has said the use

of soft us policy towards russia is now over and russia is a danger to our country. is that what you are referring to? yes. and from moscow? similar rhetoric? yes. and these are macho leaders. should find a way of communicating. i am macho leaders. should find a way of communicating. iam not macho leaders. should find a way of communicating. i am not sure that at the end of the day the people they are trying to impress are actually impressed by this sort of language. people want leadership. they want to be led in the proper direction. they wa nt be led in the proper direction. they want vision and so for leaders to think that you have to flex your muscles to show that you are powerful... so that is the united... i assume you are talking about donald trump? he has a special language for diplomacy. but what about russia, which, of course, is

attracting criticism for supporting assad. do you see russia as a danger? honestly, i believe that there are so many proxy war is going on in syria that some of the fighting going on has nothing to do with the syrians. so we should be careful not to point fingers on the russians. there are quite a few other players in the theatre. so we are talking about syria. 12 million people displaced or arab refugees. if you look at the drc, the democratic republic of the congo, a similar number of people displaced, terrible violence, particularly in certain regions and, you know, it has not gotten as much attention as syria. shouldn't you, as, arguably, the best known african and the most widely admired african currently in the world, should you speak about the world, should you speak about the drc every of the week? what has

happened in the drc is quite tragic. attem pts happened in the drc is quite tragic. attempts have been made to get the government to co—operate. there are so many envoys operating in congo today i'm not even sure i could list them all. situations like congo to indicate the limit to international pressure and international influence. we need to find a way of strengthening the local population and local civil society to take on the fight and to work with them. yu said there were many envoys there but there are 16,000 un stabilisation forces in the drc, a country the size of western europe. really they are not going to be able to be very effective. ahead of the norwegian refugee council said that the drc was one of the worst crises on earth and yet no—one seems to ca re on earth and yet no—one seems to care about it. is he right? why do you think it does not count. is because they are african? that could

because they are african? that could bea because they are african? that could be a part of it. and also the fact that it be a part of it. and also the fact thatitis be a part of it. and also the fact that it is a crisis that has gone on for a long time. the first un presence in the congo dates back to the 19605 and we have been now almost continuously until now. there i5a almost continuously until now. there is a bit of fatigue and a real leadership cri5i5 is a bit of fatigue and a real leadership crisis in the congo. is a bit of fatigue and a real leadership crisis in the congolj 5aid leadership crisis in the congolj said that you are arguably the best known african today and you were the first black african to become head of the united nations. when you were at the un for a career that went for over six decades, you of un peacekeeping operations. but i put it to you that in your time, the un charter aim was not met, particularly pertaining to rwanda. we saw the genocide happening there we knew ahead of un peacekeeping operations did it the charges aim

was to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. it failed the people of rwanda, didn't it? you could argue that we failed the people of uganda, sorry, rwanda, and we failed the people of all sneer, you mentioned earlier. i think what is important here when we talk of the un, we have to be very clear. which un are talking about. there two uns in myjudgement. there is the un that is made up of the member states who sit in the security council, who are the big five, who sit in the general assembly. they have a secretariat and the secretary general, there are mandates and commensurate resources to carry out their mandate. and then there is the un undersecretary general which implements the programme. in rwanda

it was extremely difficult to get the member states to move. firstly, rwanda came soon after somalia when the american planes had been shot down and the us withdrew and the western countries who drew along with them. it was at about the same time the rwanda, which at that point, people had thought was doing well, but it fell apart. and no—one wa nted well, but it fell apart. and no—one wanted to send troops in, even when we said increased the truth that our there. when you do become aware, i must ask you, there are numerous warnings from people on the ground in rwanda. you must have received at least ten warnings. for example, the head of the un peacekeeping mission in rwanda in november 1990 three alerted you to the possibility of what might happen and, yet, you have no response. first of all, he is a

good friend and a very good officer. romeo, when he said that message to my military adviser, indicated that it was also possible that it is a trap. that they could walk into a trap. that they could walk into a trap. not only that, soon after that, ten belgian soldiers were also killed. the member states were not ready to send in troops. and in this situation, when he said that the un failed, which un are you talking about? i'm asking you really, because in january, about? i'm asking you really, because injanuary, you received a cable from the general romeo dallaire, who said he wanted approval to use force against what he described as crimes against humanity. also jacques rojer boo, the un special envoy to wonder, also said that he was... in view of rwanda's long and tragic history of

ethnic conflict the possibility of ethnically motivated incidents is a co nsta nt ethnically motivated incidents is a constant threat. there were these things that were coming to you, january, february, and how did you respond? because they say they didn't get the reaction they wanted. he did, he was on the line with our military adviser all the time and also... and you? he came to new york to talk to me. we brought him back for consultation. but what's important, what he should hear, is not everything that comes from the field that you jump on immediately... first of all, with 250 soldiers, 2500 soldiers, even if you used half of them to try to stop this, they would have been slaughtered the way the americans were. . . slaughtered the way the americans were... that's not what he told us. he told hardtalk in 2002, general dallaire, he said he could have stop the genocide with 5000 peacekeepers,

they tied my hands because they were gun shows. but he didn't have 5000 soldiers. he had 2500. he had 2500. the first attack to kill ten of 15 the member states have wanted to withdraw. the way the americans withdrew in somalia. did you not say injanuary withdrew in somalia. did you not say in january the tent withdrew in somalia. did you not say injanuary the tent in a cable to da lla i re injanuary the tent in a cable to dallaire and booh—booh, we must handle the situation with caution and no other reconnaissance or action should be taken until there is clear guidance from headquarters. it seems like you were almost suggesting they were exaggerating what might be going on on the ground? but even if they were not exaggerating you needed to think through the implications of the action they were contemplating. it was evident that they did not have the resources to take on the challenge they were confronted with. imean, you challenge they were confronted with. i mean, you talked about 18,000 un

troops in congo. 16,000. a drop in the bucket. and often the un has made those mistakes in the past. we put in these small numbers of soldiers who are not always well equipped. they are too big to hide and they are too small to make a difference and that is a terrible sort of awkward situation. how did you feel once he realised... those of us... 800 people were killed. all of us... 800 people were killed. all of us... 800 people were killed. all of us who worked in that period were really shattered by the experience and that's why i pushed for the approval of responsibility to protect because that concept of responsibility to protect which states that if a country is not in a position or willing to protect its population then the international community has a responsibility to go in because before then you can say this is a question of sovereignty. we have not been invited, we are not going to... that was a landmark

achievement there but the un reported to the security council at the end of may, 1995 and the genocide took place in april, 911, said on the un mission we must all realise we have failed in our response to the agony of rwanda and we have thus acquiesced in the human loss of those lives. do you think you have acquiesced to those deaths? i don't think we acquiesced but we we re i don't think we acquiesced but we were helpless. i don't think we acquiesced. if you use acquiesce you're implying that 2500 troops there could have stopped the genocide. you don't feel you've acquiesced. but we failed. was it... you had a long and distinguished career at the united nations, was that the lowest point in your career would you say? for me, being in the peacekeeping department, and also being an african coming from the continent and not being able to do something to help. i want to use the

word acquiesced. we did fail. you said never again, everybody said that, and yet 1995, the year after rwanda, around 7000—8000 bosnian muslim men and boys were killed by serbs at srebrenica and again the united nations criticised for failing to prevent the massacre. it's always easy to find a scapegoat. the un... in fact, it's always easy to find a scapegoat. the un... infact, i it's always easy to find a scapegoat. the un... in fact, i used to say that the letters sg does not stand for secretary general, it stands for skate goat and you can scapegoat the secretary general and the un even when the resources required are not made available. but it was the own un report in 1999 when you were by then secretary general which was scathing in its criticisms of the un, it said had the un troops engaged the attacking

serbs directly its possible events would have unfolded differently. serbs directly its possible events would have unfolded differentlym may have. but the un report is critical of the un. you released it. is the un fit for purpose?” critical of the un. you released it. is the un fit for purpose? i think the un... in today's world. i think the un... in today's world. i think the un... in today's world. i think the un can be improved, its not perfect but if it didn't exist you would have had to create it. i think we need to look at how the un acts, the un structure, the decision—making processes, whether in the council or the general assembly. of course i know you worked very hard to try to reform the security council and expand its membership, permanent seats or japan, india. livni say whatjohn sawers, former intelligence chief mi5 sawers, former intelligence chief m15 and ambassador... he said we're seeing a reversion to the great power world weather multinational

institutions that we built up since 1995 are becoming less effective, there's more competition partly because of the politics that is leading to big man leaders like trump, putin xijingping and others, is that where we're heading, less releva nce for is that where we're heading, less relevance for institutions like the un and more focus on the big man? relevance for institutions like the un and more focus on the big mamm appears we're heading that way but i hope the pendulum will swing back. i think these strong leaders will come to understand that the approach they're taking doesn't work. we live in such an interdependent world and we have so many issues that no one country can resolve however powerful that country is. there's also something happening here, a shift, a shift taking place in terms of powershift into other regions, asia and china in particular, and that is very difficult for some in places like america to accept. but it's irreversible. the trend will

continue and we have to find a way of dealing with it. where do you think american foreign policy is heading? you mentioned american there. we've seenjohn bolton, the new national security adviser, a man you remember when you were at the un, he was american ambassador to the united nations and famously said you could blow up ten floors of the un and no one would notice the difference, not in terms of getting rid of people but in terms of its mandate and what it achieves. they tore up the iran accord, they've got untiljuly the 12th to decide. that would be very dangerous, and if the us pulls out next month i hope the other parties to the agreement, the us and iranians, would stick together, and let the us isolated self. it would be destructive, it would cause problems and you're going to tearup would cause problems and you're going to tear up the iran agreement at the same time as you're going to talk to the north koreans. what incentive do they have to talk all

come to an agreement when they know you can tear it up the way you're tearing up the iranian agreement. which of the big men do you fear the most? i don't fear any of the big men, i worry about them in our world! i worry about them in our world! i worry about them in our world and the problems they can cause for us. honestly, when i referred to the need for cool heads and soberjudgement referred to the need for cool heads and sober judgement i referred to the need for cool heads and soberjudgement i really am talking to all of them. here you are, you've turned 80, when are you going to finally retire? laughter i hope sgnana didn't plant that question —— nanda. that's a constant debate. what's your answer to us? i can promise i will slow down but i don't think she believes me any more. kofi annan, thank you very

much indeed for coming on hardtalk. hello there, good morning. the temperature on tuesday was just over 20 celsius in dorset but temperatures are going to rise higher than that over the next few days. this was the scene in cambridgeshire, where we enjoyed a good deal of sunshine and warmth as well but with more sunshine, and the winds becoming lighter and pushing away the rain, the temperatures will be rising even higher. and talking of rain, there was some of that on tuesday across some western parts of the uk. wales was quite cloudy, some rain from to time. it came from that band of cloud there. that has been weakening, and the rain petering out as the cloud has thinned. but this is the thicker area of cloud and that is heading its way northwards and taking rain

back across ireland, some heavier rain in northern ireland early in the morning, spots of rain through the irish sea. it all clears up towards the north—west of scotland, allowing more and more sunshine to develop widely. the winds still southerly, not as strong. it will feel warmer and temperatures will be a shade higher. 18 in the central belt. 2a or even 25 now in the south—east of england. still that rain towards the north—west of scotland, could come back into northern ireland, western scotland for a while overnight, then that tends to peter out. we're left with cloud through the irish sea, a little bit misty here as well. 0therwise further east, clearer skies, lows of 9 or 10 degrees. that band of cloud there is a very weak weather front. it is more a band of cloud but even across northern ireland and scotland, that cloud should break up. still rather misty and cool around some of these western coasts, so not quite the sunny skies here. widely getting into the high teens in scotland and northern ireland. inland england and wales, low 205. 26 possible in the south—east of england. that's probably the peak of the heat on thursday. the really high temperatures get pushed away into central europe. we start to get more

of an influence from the atlantic. so instead of the southerly, we're picking up more of a west to south—westerly. still a warm day, though, on friday. and a lot of dry weather too. maybe some showers coming into the north—west of scotland but otherwise some good spells of sunshine around and those temperatures, just a little bit lower than they're likely to be on thursday but still pleasant in the sunshine. this time, it could be rather misty around the coasts in the english channel and around some north sea coasts as well. high pressure building in across the uk. going to keep these weather fronts at bay for the time being. so the fine weather continues into saturday. again, some areas of misty low cloud in the morning perhaps. that should tend to break up more in the afternoon, allowing the sunshine to develop more widely. temperatures a little bit lower by this stage, mind you. the air‘s not quite as warm, but it's still going to be a warm one for the london marathon on sunday. hello, this is the briefing. i'm samantha simmonds.

our top story: history in the making. south korea says its considering negotiating a peace treaty with the north. syria says international weapons inspectors are due to be shown the scene of a suspected chemical attack in douma. us officials say the experts are being kept away from the site. wife of one president, mother to another. the former first lady of the united states, barbara bush has died. she was 92. 0nboard the floating laboratory with a team of scientists tackling depleted fish stocks and excess plastic in our oceans. all us starbucks stores will close for an afternoon next month so that staff can be trained in racial awareness, following the controversial arrest of two black men at one