this is bbc news, the headlines: british police have launch a murder inquiry afterfinding the bodies of 39 people in a lorry container in south—east england. the vehicle had come overfrom europe. the driver has been arrested. they're now trying to identify the bodies, which include a teenager. republican members of congress have disrupted the trump impeachment inquiry, barging into a hearing room, moments before a senior pentagon specialist was due to testify. democrats say it's a way to prevent more evidence emerging against the president. president trump says he'll lift all sanctions imposed on turkey over its incursion against the kurds in syria. he said ankara promised him its military operation in the region had stopped. turkey's two—week offensive has seen scores of deaths, while more than 170,000 people have fled their homes.

now on bbc news, hardtalk, this is the briefing. with stephen sackur. i'm sally bundock. our top story: a murder investigation welcome to hardtalk. is launched after british police find 39 bodies in the back i'm stephen sackur. armenia is a small state of a lorry that came from europe. with outsize strategic significance disruption at the trump impeachment inquiry ina with outsize strategic significance in a caucasus region beset as republican members of congress with tension and hostility. barge into a hearing room last year popular protests delivered ahead of a testimony. a so—called velvet revolution which saw a new government installed confrontation in chile in yerevan amid ambitious on the first day of a general strike against inequality as an apology talk of reform. from the president fails to quell public anger. my guess is the foreign minister in shock treatment — tesla stuns wall street by returning to profit, when analysts expected a loss. now all eyes are on its that government, zohrab new shanghai factory. mnatsa ka nyan. is armenia looking east or west for political and economic inspiration?

zohrab mnatsakanyan, zohrab mnatsa ka nyan, welcome zohrab mnatsakanyan, welcome to hardtalk. thank you. last year saw major political upheaval in armenia, the so—called velvet revolution, after which your government claimed you were working for a new armenia but sceptics would say it looks very much like the old armenia. how is it different? why would they say that? for example, you were an official under previous regime, you are not a new broom at all. i made a choice to move from a diplomatic career to a

political one. i took up the responsibility to share with the government and this is a major change. the government has received a huge mandate from the people as a result of the revolution. the government has reacted to those popular demands and received a strong mandate to deliver the change and we have demonstrated a strong power of political will with which you can deliver very quickly results which stem from the popular demand and of those concerned corruption, those concern fair elections and the biggest challenge we have today is judicial reform. it is of various other issues that the government has been addressing. you claim has been that the work is done quickly but just the other day, a new agency to

discover and investigate corruption and crime will not be operational until 2021. we are in 2019. and crime will not be operational until2021. we are in 2019. we absolutely understand that, with the political will, you can deliver results but that is not sufficient. you have to sell a date the system which can react to those phenomena... doesn't take two years to set up a committee? this is more complicated and more complex. you are working on institutional capacity to address the phenomenon of corruption and that is something more serious and working on this not just within the country but without international partners, you're talking about the future but there isa talking about the future but there is a hubris in your government because the prime minister nikol

pashinyan said we have managed to root out systemic corruption but thatis root out systemic corruption but that is patently not true. why not? for example, only a few weeks after he said, there was serious accusation put at the door of the anticorruption agency, the man at the prime minister had appointed. it raised serious questions. --at the head of. i do not know what you are referring to. within the country, within months, we have been capable to deliver a strong message that there will be no more suitcases carried to the powerhouse,... suitcases full of money? yes... that has been happening a long time in your country. no more unfair economic... you are saying you do not know what i am talking about but

serzh sargsyan, a close associate of the prime minister was put in charge of the current anticorruption agency and now he is facing charges. how can the people have confidence... the system has been reactive... in the prime minister assured europe he rooted out systemic corruption... the prime minister... let's not make it simplistic. institutional capacity has to be in place. it is the biggest challenge and priority to consolidate what we want to achieve in the country and what we have been delivering on the mandate of the people which has brought this government... will the rule of law come out on top? this is our mandate. there is no other priority for the government but to deliver on

those specific priorities, rule of law, impartiality, to achieve reasonable trust in the judiciary. you say it is about institution building and that it will take some time. i understand that. we look at other signals to suggest there is a real change as a result of the velvet revolution. 0ne arena in which we must have a change is the stalemate between your country and neighbouring azerbaijan over a disputed territory. i have seen no evidence that your government has brought new ideas, new in imagination to this conflict. thank you, when we achieved our objectives with the revolution, they were questions about what our foreign priorities were. they have been co nsta nt, priorities were. they have been constant, sustaining the security

within armenia. the area is a huge challenge and for us it is a question of security for our compatriots, of 150,000 compatriots, and we have engaged our government without hesitation immediately in the process and we have engaged in a constructive way. we want peace and wa nt to constructive way. we want peace and want to achieve that but we want to do it in want to achieve that but we want to do itina want to achieve that but we want to do it in a way which sustains reasonable parity of commitment of the parties so we do address in a reasonable way our ultimate priorities of security and status for the people. you tell me you want peace explained to me than why, in august, just a few months ago, the prime minister made a very high—profile speech in which he declared, in no uncertain terms, the

area is ours. and he wants peace! the solution has to be acceptable to everybody. given international law... everybody. given international law. .. we are waiting for a signal, a message which refers to our interest, concerns and the concerns of the security... they have been refusing to do that. i have to be honest with you, when he claims it is that and it flies in the face of the un and all independent agencies, iam the un and all independent agencies, i am struggling to see how it is a move towards peace particularly when he led the crowd with chance of unification, nationalist slogans heard anything 1990s in the war

against azerbaijan. i am telling you that because the pan dominion agenda is one of consolidation and it does not live out the people nagorno—karabakh. not live out the people nagorno-karabakh. within that, nagorno—karabakh as a land without compatriots. that territory is not armenian, karabakh. nagorno-karabakh it isa armenian, karabakh. nagorno-karabakh it is a territory in which our compatriots leave and one where we ca re compatriots leave and one where we care for that security. we are the salt guarantors of their security. we are committed to the peace process in which the security and status of nagorno—kara bakh process in which the security and status of nagorno—karabakh are the

ultimate priority and we are committed to the peace process. we have not been detracting from the peace process in any way... hang on, let me ask your closest military allies are the russians. they have military bases, you have worked with them for a long time. the russian foreign minister, after this rather extraordinary statement from your prime minister said statements are heard that kara bakh prime minister said statements are heard that karabakh is armenian, it is the same as if the prime minister of albania said that kosovo is albania so even if the russians say your position is not correct... we need a message, a message of compromise from is of them. the

solution should be acceptable to all people. he has been receiving a lot of criticism on that but to insist that the compromise is the way out. a parity of commitment. in the same speech he has been referring to the solution of nagorno—kara bakh speech he has been referring to the solution of nagorno—karabakh within a separate paragraph in which he was quite consistent with our approach ona quite consistent with our approach on a compromise by solution. couple more things on this vexed issue of the conflict which began in the 80s and has not been sold. it seems to me it needs imagination to get out of the stalemate. are you prepared to be imaginative and, in the spirit of reconciliation, to acknowledge that over the last 20 yea rs 01’ acknowledge that over the last 20 years 01’ more, acknowledge that over the last 20 years or more, the armenian military has been responsible for very

serious abuses. the united nations, the european court of human rights has concluded that, independent groups like amnesty international have talked about the abuses of your armed forces. if you want to change the dynamic with this new government, you prepared to say, yes, we have been responsible for serious abuses in the past. you are twisting a little bit the narrative. the armenian, the state of amelia, happens to be the only guarantee of the security. we are the only guarantors. we have a security arrangement for the people of nagorno—karabakh, we have been responsible for that and we bear that security guarantee. we have been engaged in negotiations in a way that we work out the parameters... you are not answering my question i will try one more

time. a bigger report in 1985 said armenian forces, with the support of the republic of amelia, were responsible for the majority of abuses during that period of and as recently as 2017, the european court of human rights, 12judgement concerning amelia and 11 found the government found it in violation of human rights. are you prepared to say, in the past, mistakes were made, abuses happen and you, as well as azerbaijan need to express regret and tried to seek a solution? that is part of moving forward, that is true but, at the moment, we also have to figure out the way in which we can address our biggest priority, the security... you do now express regret for some of the things that your military did in the past? you

know, at the beginning of the 90s, there was a situation where 40% of there was a situation where 40% of the population nagorno—karabakh had been wiped out, they had been abuses, violations and most outrageous way. we had a situation, when the government of azerbaijan has gone so far as glorifying the murder of an armenian not long ago, in april 2016 azerbaijan attempted again and aggression against nagorno—karabakh and that only amplifies our sense of security. i accept amplifies our sense of security. i a cce pt we amplifies our sense of security. i accept we need to move forward, all of us, but it takes two to tango. it ta kes of us, but it takes two to tango. it takes every party to engage in a constructive way and this is why the prime minister was saying a solution which is acceptable to all and we are waiting for a message from azerbaijan to reciprocate for a

spirit to move forward. a final question on this and then i move forward. a million armed forces were accused of having violated the ceasefire across the line of contact between the two forces 20 times, is it possible that could be a new surge of military conflict? this is what we are focused on and thatis this is what we are focused on and that is a good indication this is what we are focused on and that is a good indication of this is what we are focused on and that is a good indication of the seriousness on our side. we have managed to establish some sort of trust and confidence in which over this year there has been a considerable reduction of ceasefire violation and we are focused on sustaining and consolidating that. it is one of our priorities and what we have focused on and continued to focus on with the authorities..

armenia faces a strategic choice in a sense. you have to decide whether it is in the strategic interest of your country to put your priorities and your greatest effort into developing the relationship with russia and the eurasian economic union of which i think you hold the presidency at the moment or, whether you refocus your efforts looking west to the european union and in the long run to nato. which will you do? our world is not that black and white. do? our world is not that black and white. our do? our world is not that black and white. 0urforeign do? our world is not that black and white. our foreign policy do? our world is not that black and white. 0urforeign policy is based on consolidation of the partnerships for the integrity of our national security architecture. we have extensive relations with russia, it is an important dimension of our

foreign policy and we work together in the economic union equally. the european union is an extremely important part and security supplier to armenia and the region. and it is an important partner as well. i understand it but to use a metaphor, if you try to ride two horses you run the risk of a grave in injury. your deputy, since the new armenian government has a different relationship to the eu government. this new political situation is now com pletely this new political situation is now completely in line the eu ‘s views. but that really isn't true, is it? that is a contradiction. the eu has not been built been building relations with armenia in a way that says you have to have relations in this dimension. 0ur says you have to have relations in this dimension. our biggest showing an important priority for us now is to not build relationship with one partner at the expense of an art —— another. this is a difficult act but

it is what is required. this will be a test of your reformist agenda and principles and values. if you choose to stay wedded to vladimir putin's writer and the eurasian economic union, frankly you will probably continue many of the prep as is of the old regimes in armenia. centralisation, authoritarian rule, real problems with freedom of expression. 0r, real problems with freedom of expression. or, you can adopt a different set of values, open yourself up and embrace many of the values at the heart of the eu. that is your choice i think you are making the same mistake. you are trying to see the armenian revolution is geopolitics. what happened was strictly an armenian matter. the revolution was about democracy and human rights and about this is what armenia is and what we need for our country, what we need to react to, to the mandate of the public. that there is no

geopolitics. so a while back when hillary clinton was secretary of state, while ago it may still be releva nt, state, while ago it may still be relevant, she described the eurasian economic union as a move to re— soviet eyes the region and she added, ominously, we know what the goal is. that is a view that has been expressed and does not need to been expressed and does not need to be shared. for us, the eurasian economic union is a 200 million market in which we have access and, as members, we are also participants in the framing of the regulatory rules in the economic union and we are participating. but not at the expense of what we do with the european union sitting in the european union sitting in the european union sitting in the european union we have a important value based relationship and important agreement with the eu which has significant political parts. i

understand. but i am talking about big vision and big future. there are many people, countrymen and women of yours whose long—term dream is to see armenia in the european union or ina see armenia in the european union or in a close association with it and inside nato or in a close association with it but you are not one of those. no-one in armenia is going to do something that will undermine. we are security conscious. we're not going to do to undermine our security force. the bottom line, you stay with moscow. in the end, the moscow is the greatest guarantor of your security. dig we are not staying with moscow, washington nor brussels. we are only for the interest of armenia and that requires a difficult act. this is for the security and the interest of armenia, the end national interest. this is what we reject entirely. the

bipolar rule of this way all that way. but we also reject... don't judge our democracy by our geopolitical choices because those choices are complete and they are in integrity and we have a good understanding with all our partners be it russia, the us or the eu. understanding with all our partners be it russia, the us or the sum understanding with all our partners be it russia, the us or the eu. ifi may say so, you are walking a very delicate tightrope. it is difficult, i accept. someone very specific challenge. you live in a difficult neighbourhood with interesting neighbours. 0ne neighbourhood with interesting neighbours. one of which is around. you have a close economic relationship with iran. the americans are now demanding that you implement their sanctions on iran which would affect your economic relationship with iran, your prime minister and others in your government have said that they will not do that, that they are

determined to maintain close relations. what is your position? we have been engaged in a heavy conversation both with our iran partners and our america partners. it isa partners and our america partners. it is a difficult act. a very difficult at when your partners are having problems of their own and we have the look out for us. this not just a question of priorities. will you please the americans all will you please the americans all will you displease the americans? we have neighbourhoods of strategic interest. iran is the gateway, and import meant partner —— important partner. we know the nation quite well. and we are faithful to the relationship. nation quite well. and we are faithfulto the relationship. so your message for donald trump, as it was tojohn bolton last year's forget about it? at the same time we have been open with our iranian partners, trying to work out what

has been done because we are sensitive to our relationship with washington full and how we combine oui’ washington full and how we combine our interest with what is happening in our region full up that has been possible. it is a difficult act. but we are required to do it. the problem with a tight rope is you do a great deal of damage if you fall off and you might fall off. a great deal of damage if you fall off and you might fall offm a great deal of damage if you fall off and you might fall off. if we stretch ourselves by way of going one way 01’ stretch ourselves by way of going one way or another and opening up for a major security vulnerability by way of making one choice or another, you would not think that if we do declare... if we do declare that we are going one way, that it will work out immediately? 0r that we are going one way, that it will work out immediately? or will we be in the queue for ten or 15 yea rs ? we be in the queue for ten or 15 years? we cannot afford security loss for ten or 15 minutes. we have

to finish there but thank you very much for being with us on hardtalk. many of us will be glad to see the back of october and we still have another week to come with more rain in the forecast for the next few days, some quite heavy however, this as we close out the month it does look like we will see a change, a different band. drier but colder by day. here and now we have a couple of weather fronts sandwiched across england and wales producing cloud and light patchy rain. as they sink south and east behind the wind will strengthen in this weather front in the north—west will be showery for

the remainder of the day. we will start a little milder than the morning is just past. double digits widely across the country. early morning mist and fog patches in the south—east and those with weather fronts, a band of cloud and drizzle driving its way south and east. behind it it will be clearance, and he smells coming through before the frontal system enhances the showers in the north—west. the top temperature 11, 1a degrees. now, as that low pressure starts to tuck in from the north—west it will introduce a colder flow. bit of a north—south divide in the feel of the weather and the type of weather that we will see. as we move into friday we have a low pressure just enhancing, plenty of showers into the north—west and the cool air kicking in with some went to the high ground to at the same time into the south—west we have a pulse of wet weather that will move in and once it arrives stay for some time. it will bring some rain,

some of it heavy as it pushes into wales in northern england and northern ireland that is the dividing line between the cold line to the north and slightly milder conditions to the south—east corner. unfortunately it is a relentless conveyor belt of rain through friday into saturday across much of wales and northern england before it slowly starts to show that it will clear away during the latter stages of saturday afternoon. however, be prepared for some disruption for wales in north—west england. we could have another 100 millimetres of rain on top of the already wet month that we have seen. tune into the local radio station for updates. once the frong goes away we will see a change. chilly mornings and some frost around the dry and sunny weather conditions because high pressure is set to build in from the atlantic and quieten things down 00:28:00,675 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 over the next few days..