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tv   HAR Dtalk  BBC News  August 30, 2018 2:30am-3:01am BST

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the imf has pledged to step up support for argentina, and speed up crisis talks, after the country's economy slumped to a new low. argentina's government has unexpectedly asked for the early release of a $50 billion bailout in a bid to restore confidence. the president has a quicker access to funds from the international monetary fund will respond —— restore market confidence. it is a tough call for the country. many argentines have bad memories of the earlier interventions and pass crises. the white house's top lawyer, don mcgahn, is to quit following his cooperation with the probe into alleged russian election meddling. president trump made the announcement in a tweet. it was reported earlier this month he cooperated extensively with the robert hill investigation into interference by russia in the 2016 election —— robert mueller. air canada app has suffered a data breach resulting in the suspected loss of thousands of its customers‘ personal details. the company said it had detected unusual login behaviour with its mobile app and warned users who entered their passport details that data may have been stolen. you are up—to—date with the
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headlines. now on bbc news — hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk. i'm sarah montague. the pictures are chilling, people in the german city of chemnitz giving nazi salutes. they we re chemnitz giving nazi salutes. they were among thousands who took to the streets to demonstrate against immigrants afteran streets to demonstrate against immigrants after an iraqi and a syrian were arrested following a fatal stabbing. some of the protesters chased down people they believed were immigrants. all this as politicians struggle to agree how to handle the migrant crisis in europe. my guest on hardtalk is the german mep david mcallister, who chairs the european parliament's committee on foreign affairs. have european leaders ignore the threat from the far right for too long? —— ignored. david mcallister, welcome to
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hardtalk. welcome from brussels. did you think that you would ever see people giving nazi salutes on the streets of germany again? the latest events in chemnitz are appalling, they are completely unacceptable. we in germany have the rule of law, the police, and the state prosecutors are responsible for investigating crimes and for defending citizens, but this is certainly not the right of individual citizens or even gangs of individual citizens or even gangs of right—wing populist activists.
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and i must say, iam of right—wing populist activists. and i must say, i am very annoyed, what i had to see ian chemnitz for the last two days. how big a problem do you think the extreme right—wing is in germany? well, at the last federal elections in germany, for the first time, we had far right populist party entity german bundestag, join our parliament, they are the strongest opposition force. 0n the other hand, more than 85% of germans did not vote for radical right—wing parties. we have to take the concerns of our citizens seriously, but we also have to make clear that the alternative for joint —— deutschland is giving serious questions. the bundestag will not become a place of hate, racism, or xenophobia. but this is what we saw in chemnitz, it was not the afd,
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which has become very popular. this was something different, wasn't it? in chemnitz we had a neo—nazi activist organising these demonstrations in the saxon city of chemnitz. they were using the special situation after the murder ofa special situation after the murder of a german citizen and two suspects being arrested, but we have to make very clear that to show neo—nazi symbols, to show nazi symbols in germany, to salute with the hitler salute, this is all legally forbidden and we call on the police and the state prosecutors to go against this. we will not accept this kind of behaviour on german territorian. but what about the underlying concerns? it is illegal to give a nazi salute in germany. but what about the underlying concerns of those people who are on the streets. what needs to be done about that? the murder of a family
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father in chemnitz was appalling. it isa father in chemnitz was appalling. it is a tragedy. this has to be investigated thoroughly and it will be investigated by the police and the state prosecutors. two suspects have been arrested, as you pointed out. but we have the rule of law and we must make clear that a crime of individual citizens gives nobody the right to organise a kind of a scapegoat that all migrants in germany are criminal. this is a very dangerous for the cohesion of our society and i think it's really time that even more people stood up and chemnitz said with a note to this kind of neo—nazi propaganda. chemnitz said with a note to this kind of neo-nazi propaganda. but the reason that people took to the streets in chemnitz, and when they ask you about it you refer to the afd and the rise and support for that party, are both happening because of immigration in germany.
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well, the alternative fur deutschland and similar parties are only concentrating on immigration and they still try to exploit the unique situation in 2015 when hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers, refugees, and other migrants came to germany. since then the german government and the german parliament have worked very hard to limit the numbers of migrants coming to germany and to better control and organise the migration system. so we are working hard on this. i take the concerns of citizens a seriously. what affects mass migration can have ona what affects mass migration can have on a society and on the economy. but on a society and on the economy. but on the other hand, i'm also very clear that i won't accept right—wing populists playing upon people's fears and giving very simplistic a nswe i’s fears and giving very simplistic a nswers to fears and giving very simplistic answers to very competence questions and the best way to tackle these far right—wing populists in germany, at
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least, is if you go into a debate with proper and a decent arguments then you can show that they don't have much to offer in the long run. but in the meantime, we will have to accept that the afd is entering the regional parliaments, in the german bundestag, but i still believe the german bundestag would be a better place without an alternative fur deutschland parliamentary group. place without an alternative fur deutschland parliamentary groupm it also, as part of your defence, if you are to challenge the rise of the far right, is it also important for your party to suggest, to accept that it was a mistake to have so many migrants come to germany. more than1.6 many migrants come to germany. more than 1.6 million since 2014 stutterer is of what happened in 2015, the situation was 1 million people were on the way from the middle and far east and from northern africa, three quirky and the pearl —— balkans into northern europe. so the whole narrative that
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the government invited the migrants to come to germany is untrue. they won their way. what we decided in 2015 was to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the balkans. if we had shut down our borders. we knew this would be very challenging and we are still working very hard to cope with the situation. not since then we have moved forward. we now have 2018 and the numbers have gone down. we have worked hard on cooperating better with our partner countries in northern africa, in the middle east, and especially the agreement with turkey was crucial to stop so many illegal or irregular migrants coming through greece to northern europe. here we are working ha rd northern europe. here we are working hard on this and we will continue to do so. but you know that the hungarian prime minister, for example, victor auburn, has said the summer, he told a german newspaper, " if summer, he told a german newspaper, "if i made a refugee policy like
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your chancellor, people would taste the out of office the same date". and ina the out of office the same date". and in a sense, isn't that what is happening in germany, only more slowly? i don't agree. the far right is still a small minority. parties, which are in general in favour of open borders and an open multicultural tolerant society, got a huge majority at the last general elections, he has these views and we have other views. what we have to do, to understand that the migration challenge can only be sold at a european level, much better than at national level, what we have to do a national level, what we have to do is to increase our efforts to better protect ourjoint european borders. and we have to do much more to help those countries where the migrants are coming from, especially with africa. that is why we are very much in favour of a marshall plan for africa. but before we talk about the
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migration issue outside of germany, within germany's open borders you have a colleague of yours, it your pa rty‘s have a colleague of yours, it your party's general secretary, suggesting that there should be a compulsory national service for all young people and migrants, suggesting that would help integrate them into society and it would increase acceptance of refugees among the population. do you agree with that? well, first of all we have to differentiate between those coming to germany seeking for asylum who are actually refugees. here we have a humanitarian responsibility to protect them from harm, as long as they can't go back to their own countries that maycomb countries. 0n the other hand, we had to open certain channels for economic migrants, for those who want to come to germany to work, and we are still dependent on qualified people coming to match the demands of our very complex labour market. now, the question is, how can you integrate
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people better into german society who have come from other parts of the world and want to stay in germany? we say it is important that people are educated, that they go to school, that they learn our other consecrated language, and that the best way to integrate people is, of course, when they are grown up, that they find work. because if you work you have your own money, you are able to organise your family. so it is education, language, and work. that is important. and in the end, of course, we want migrants to say yes to germany and we want to welcome migrants saying germany is now our new home country, but we also share values in this country, democracy, the rule of law, religious tolerance, equality of men and women. these are very important values in germany. you come to germany... you didn't answer my particular question which was about the proposal for particular question which was about the proposalfor a particular question which was about the proposal for a compulsory national service from your
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colleague. is that something that your party or government should be suggesting or doing? there is a debate in germany from our secretary general whether we should have a general here for all german citizens to do something for the whole society. it could be in the military, it could be on social organisations, it could be in other places. this could include those who are not german citizens. 0nce places. this could include those who are not german citizens. once again, what we need in germany is a debate. how to better integrate those people who are coming from abroad and also debate what we can do to convince young people that it is worth working one yearfor young people that it is worth working one year for german society in total. given what you are saying and the need for migrants, are you disappointed with the way the italians, we have the new interior minister, matteo salvini, saying
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italy won't take one more refugee, because his country would become a holding pen for all of europe. first of all, i have to take every italian gutman for what it is, we have to respect the political decisions of an italian government. we also have to make clear that we have certain european rules, certain european values. and this is what makes us so unique in the european union. i com pletely unique in the european union. i completely understand that mediterranean countries, like italy, like malta, like greece, like spain, are sharing more of the burden than other countries. and that is why the system in europe must be that other countries show more solidarity with our south european partners. that is the whole debate we are having that in good and bad times you have to show solidarity among the member states, but one thing is also clear. there is an obligation to save those
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people, to rescue those people, when they are risking their lives in the mediterranean. when you see what is happening, whether it is an chemnitz or in italy, or indeed the brexit votes which we will come onto a minute, can you say that eu policy on migration is working? we have to improve our eu migration policy. of course things must be better, must get better, but the solution for the migration challenge must be found at a european level. and that is why we have to strengthen our european external borders. i believe that in some years time we will have a european border guard and a european coastguard, because we must understand, if you want to keep and maintain the concept of a borderless europe within the schengen area, our external borders are now ourjoint external borders are now ourjoint external borders. i believe in the concept of a borderless europe. i
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love being able to travel from germany to the netherlands... but you are losing the ardent at the moment. look at what is happening as a result of migration policy, that argument is being lost. nope, it isn't being lost. it has to be sold at the european level, limit the numbers of people coming, we have to control and steer the process better. apart from strengthening border protection, we have the support transit country, the countries of the region. and the smugglers who are putting people on boats, getting a lot of money, and that means we have to invest much more than we have in the last years and decades, the instance, in africa. 0ur and decades, the instance, in africa. our future is and decades, the instance, in africa. 0urfuture is linked and decades, the instance, in africa. our future is linked to the future of the african continent and
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thatis future of the african continent and that is why we need a policy which better co—ordinates our foreign policy, foreign trade policy, development aid policy and neighbouring policies in europe. brexit was partly driven by migration concerns. we are in a situation now where the uk leads the eu at the end of march next year, and, as the foreign secretaryjeremy hunt said, the risk of an ideal brexit has been increasing recently. is he right? i am actually still optimistic we will find a solution which guarantees an orderly with oral of the uk from the european union. —— withdrawal. no deal wrecks it would be the worst possible scenario. —— brexit. but it would be definitely better to find a solution and we get it done in an orderly
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manner and that this should be done latest at the end of a towbar, beginning of november, —— 0ctober. we need an agreement. the foreign secretary and others have said the interagency of the commission is pushing us towards no deal. do you have some sympathy with the british position? i deeply regret that the uk isn't leaving the european union andi uk isn't leaving the european union and i wish the referendum would have had a different outcome but i have to a cce pt had a different outcome but i have to accept that leave means leave. if you leave the european union, that is your choice and we also accept the red lines the british government has drawn. note to the single market and customs union given that we now have a certain framework where we can operate, and we want to get this orderly brexit deal done, in the end
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it means both sides will have to show a compromise at one thing is clear, a country that leaves the european union and the single market cannot be in a better position than a country which is a member. this is nothing to do with being nasty, nothing to do with being nasty, nothing to do with being nasty, nothing to do, as i often hear in london, that people in brussels are interested in punishing the uk. no, it is in our interest to get the deal done but we should concentrate on the work we should do. 80% of the british withdrawal agreement have probably been concluded but it leaves 20%. .. also, also on the table from the british government is a deal struck, drawn up at chequers, called the cheque is agreement, which calls for it are common rule book between the uk and the eu on certain areas — goods and agri— foods. — compromises be made around
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that paper? first of all, we welcome that paper? first of all, we welcome that the uk government finally positioned itself with a white paper and all these british proposals have been thoroughly analysed in brussels and in the capitals of the member states. in the end, what we will get his corporation, a partnership with our neighbour the uk, which will consist of four pillars of— a comprehensive free—trade agreement, a closer co—operation on defence and security and foreign affairs, closer co—operation on judicial and police matters, and other thematic corporations including research and education. this will be the frame of our future relationship and we will have time during our transitional period to get the details right but now we have to... 0k period to get the details right but now we have to... ok but in order to get something in place, not to crash
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out some deal, you will need a a lot more bite of tober including a common rulebook on goods. —— a lot more before october. we still have two months to go and, obviously, this is a very crucial phase and i still believe that having spoken to leading negotiators of the eu, i still get a feeling that in a brussels there is a willingness to find a decent compromise that you a lwa ys find a decent compromise that you always do in politics. find a decent compromise that you always do in politicslj find a decent compromise that you always do in politics. i want to turn to the question of iran, which you have spoken very passionately about in the past, before the us pulled out of the iran nuclear deal, you said it would send the wrong message and it would jeopardise
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security of the entire region. we are now in a situation where the us has pulled out but also iran's supreme leader has cast doubt on the idea that europe could save the nuclear accord in any way at all. is there nothing you can do to keep that nuclear deal alive? first of all, i would once again like to criticise president trump's decision to leave the nuclear deal with iran because of this field is not only belong to the united states, it was a hard piece of work ofjoint also european diplomacy and the hayet representatives and foreign ministers of germany, france and the uk, among others, invested a lot of time infinding uk, among others, invested a lot of time in finding a solution. it was a compromise, it was not ideal, but there are many things we should criticise with iran especially the
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destabilising role in the region and the threatening to israeljust to mention a few. but these should be dealt outside of it... it is too late... we have seen companies pulling out of iran, british airways, danish mirsky. there is nothing you can do to keep the deal alive and that seems to be recognised by iran as the supreme leader said, we can keep contact with europeans not give up on the nuclear deal. a lot of the countries you mention are in a difficult position. they have to decide to continue their economic corporations in the us or iran and of course many
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of them will decide to go on to the safe side and turn towards the united states. we have to accept this decision. but what the european union can do is to help those small and medium—sized companies who invested in iran and we encourage them to invest in iran and are now facing some economic problems. i think the european union it should concentrate on the small to medium—sized businesses from europe operating in iran is that at least we can continue at the economic co—operation that but large companies leaving, that was in the end to be expected. do you think europe has less power now than it has had in decades? the european union is still the strongest economic power in the world. we have the largest single market. now 500 million people. what we have to understand in europe is that only together are we strong. 0nly
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together are we strong. 0nly together we have eyesight with the us, russia or china, and that is why we have to be strong on external affairs, with one position but, on the other hand, we have to invest in the other hand, we have to invest in the necessary reforms to make the union of more if, less bureaucratic, and more competitive and for transatlantic relationship remains enormously important for us even though at the moment, under this president, we have different views on important political matters. david mcallister, thank you for coming on hardtalk. good morning. there's a lot of fine weather to be had across the british isles today.
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most of us will start the day sunny and although a little bit of cloud will develop as the hours go by, we will remain fine. a few showers possible, though, in the west. one thing to note, though, as you are heading out the door is that it will be a cool start, thanks to the clear skies overnight. some of the scottish glens, the north—east of england, you see the pale green behind me, will be three or four degrees at the day gets under way. the sunshine will get to work weekly and that will help temperatures to recover. a bit of cloud bubbling up through the day, turning the sunshine hazy, giving the odd light shower in the west. but, eventually, temperatures peaking in the high teens to the north of the uk and in the low 20s further south. 0vernight thursday into friday, again, much of the cloud thinning, breaking, clearing away, allowing temperatures to fall, looking at lows of two or four degrees, temperatures in towns and cities. into friday and straightaway at change in the way it looks behind me as we have got a more organised of cloud to the west, bringing rain, less of it
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will run into the continent, into france, could pick up a few showers for the south—west. 0verall friday, hazy sunshine, a fine day, high teens in the north, low 20s in the south. there's that weather front come friday night on into saturday. it drifts away to the north of the british isles, bringing some rain briefly into scotland and northern ireland, quite a weakening feature, though, by the start of the weekend. so this is the way saturday is shaping up. quite cloudy in the north and west, any rain, though, likely to be drizzly and patchy, mostly perhaps confined to the higher ground. southern and eastern areas getting the best of the sunshine and temperatures creeping further in that sunshine. 23, maybe even 24 degrees possible. for sunday, a similar story. to the north and west, thicker cloud, perhaps on sunday a greater chance of rain on sunday for northern ireland, but southern and eastern areas, still with the best of the sunshine, and still getting the top temperatures. and, if anything, come monday, we mightjust have a last dance with summer, if you like.
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notice the map behind me, still temperatures in the high teens to the north, this spot here though across east anglia and the south—east may even takes us to the promise of around 27 celsius somewhere across the south—east of england. that high, though, i think, likely to be short lived, temperatures tapering off again as we move further into the week ahead. welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: the imf promises new support for argentina, and crisis talks, as the economy slumps to a new low. russia rows back on controversial pension reforms. public pressure forces vladimir putin to think again. air canada suffers a massive data breach. thousands of customers' personal details are thought compromised. the president, the prayer meeting, and the plea for support. are american evangelical christians the key to
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november's mid—term elections? and reasons to be cheerful. why goats prefer people with happy faces.
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