there are fireworks in the air and explosions ofjoy on the ground as syrians here and across the country mark what they call it victory day. in the last few moments, francois bayrou has taken office as france's new prime minister — following a handover ceremony in paris. a chinese businessman with links to prince andrew has lost his appeal against a decision to bar him from the uk on the grounds of national security. a double win for a chess prodigy — winning the world chess championship and being the youngest person to do it. he talks to the bbc. welcome to damascus, we welcome to damascus, we are welcome to damascus, we are above the mean square here in the part of the syrian capital,

an extraordinary day here. in the square and in squares across the country. syrians come together to celebrate what they called victory day, the victory over a half a century of oppressive rule of bashar al—assad and before him to his father, a turning point in this country that many syrians ever dreamed they would see. just look at the lights in that square. they have been gathering throughout the day. there has been a weaving of the opposition on the flag of syria, the green and the black with the red stars, they have been chanting slogans. syrians keep gathering here notjust from damascus but towns and cities close by. and as darkness descended, the night sky, the night sky has been lit up. you may hear them, the sounds of fireworks exploding in the air. right colour in the skies. some explosions of fireworks even though the mean

political leader emerging here now, the military commander had said to syrians to demonstrate peacefully today, don't fire guns in the air, but these are heady days. syrians allowing themselves to believe this is truly a new start and that the new leaders will keep their promises to put in place a new kind of government, a new syria, with a place for all syrians, notjust for a syrians, not just for a dictator syrians, notjust for a dictator is probably our one sect. but no one is naive, they know the challenges and problems and difficulties which lie ahead, and they are sent to the rest of the world, we need your help. let's cross the new york. joining me now is ?dame barbara woodward, permanent representative of the united kingdom to the united nations. welcome to bbc news. thank you.

i think the situation _ welcome to bbc news. thank you. i think the situation in _ welcome to bbc news. thank you. i think the situation in syria - i think the situation in syria is very inspiring, good of you to say that, there is now in new leadership in place written, countries across the region and around the world have welcomed the end of the bashar al—assad regime but it has been replaced by an interim government which is headed by a prescribed terrorist organisation, including by the uk and united nations and it is the most sanctioned countries in the world, what will britain and other members of the security council do to work with this new authority and lift the sanctions? the images cominu lift the sanctions? the images coming to _ lift the sanctions? the images coming to syria _ lift the sanctions? the images coming to syria are _ lift the sanctions? the images coming to syria are inspiring l coming to syria are inspiring and — coming to syria are inspiring and full_ coming to syria are inspiring and full of hope after the end of more — and full of hope after the end of more than 50 years of dictatorship, and are forced focus — dictatorship, and are forced focus is _ dictatorship, and are forced focus is on the humanitarian situation _ focus is on the humanitarian situation. it does been dire for many— situation. it does been dire for many years, but the prime minister—

for many years, but the prime minister announced another $14 million — minister announced another $14 million of— minister announced another $14 million of humanitarian aid for syria _ million of humanitarian aid for syria and _ million of humanitarian aid for syria and i_ million of humanitarian aid for syria and i think that would be a big _ syria and i think that would be a big focus for the un, the new un minutes aryan coordinator is heading — un minutes aryan coordinator is heading to the region next week and the — heading to the region next week and the operation is working across— and the operation is working across the country as much as it can — across the country as much as it can to— across the country as much as it can to get humanitarian aid despite — it can to get humanitarian aid despite some of the heat security anomalies that remain. and i_ security anomalies that remain. and i myself saw that a year ago — and i myself saw that a year ago on — and i myself saw that a year ago on the syria— turkish borden _ ago on the syria— turkish border. second for the you —— un and — border. second for the you —— un and uk, _ border. second for the you —— un and uk, they want to work on the political situation. we welcomed the announcements that the government is working towards _ the government is working towards an inclusive political sentiment here and the un and the person, the special envoy has a — the person, the special envoy has a crucial role to play there. _ has a crucial role to play there, and the foreign secretary was pleased to talk to him — secretary was pleased to talk to him about the process, and we looked _ to him about the process, and we looked at that in the un security— we looked at that in the un security council last week and we come _ security council last week and we come back to that again on

monday— we come back to that again on monday and thirdly there is a cruciai— monday and thirdly there is a crucial piece of work about serious _ crucial piece of work about serious chemical weapons. it is documented the second michael regina _ documented the second michael regina use chemical weapons against — regina use chemical weapons against its people more than 30 times— against its people more than 30 times in— against its people more than 30 times in the last few years, and — times in the last few years, and the _ times in the last few years, and the un office for the prohibition of chemical weapons needs— prohibition of chemical weapons needs to — prohibition of chemical weapons needs to get access to syria the document and record and safety— the document and record and safely destroy those chemical weapons to close this terrible chapter— weapons to close this terrible chapter in that serious history~ _ chapter in that serious history. so it a lot for the uk and — history. so it a lot for the uk and you _ history. so it a lot for the uk and you went to work on in syria _ and you went to work on in s ria. ., . ., ., . ., syria. how much of a challenge is it that it _ syria. how much of a challenge is it that it is _ syria. how much of a challenge is it that it is the _ syria. how much of a challenge is it that it is the new _ is it that it is the new interim government is dominated by a prescribed organisation? it is a challenge, ourfirst it is a challenge, our first priority— it is a challenge, our first priority is— it is a challenge, our first priority is humanitarian, and we can— priority is humanitarian, and we can get that in despite working _ we can get that in despite working with a prescribed terrorist organisation but as the prime minister and

terrorist organisation but as the prime ministerand foreign secretary— the prime ministerand foreign secretary have said, we want to watch _ secretary have said, we want to watch very— secretary have said, we want to watch very carefully what each tsc and — watch very carefully what each tsc and what they do, and keep under— tsc and what they do, and keep under review the prohibition of then — under review the prohibition of them. . , under review the prohibition of them. ., , , , them. have their first messages been reassuring _ them. have their first messages been reassuring enough - them. have their first messages been reassuring enough for- them. have their first messages been reassuring enough for a i been reassuring enough for a country like britain, and permanent member of the security council? the most important thing is they have been reassuring enough for the syrian people, who are really celebrating, but i have to say in our contacts with the syrian ds borrow here in new york, they have expressed concerns about whether this will really work after 50 years of uploading dictatorship and fear. 50 uploading dictatorship and fear. ., , fear. so we need to see actions that back _ fear. so we need to see actions that back op — fear. so we need to see actions that back up those _ fear. so we need to see actions that back up those words. - that back up those words. we'll have _ that back up those words. we'll have it — that back up those words. we'll have it security council meeting on monday, and that would — meeting on monday, and that would be our first chance to hear — would be our first chance to hear from _ would be our first chance to hear from the syrian regime and the representative here in new york— the representative here in new york about what the regime plans— york about what the regime plans to _

york about what the regime plans to do and what actions they— plans to do and what actions they plan to take in order to move — they plan to take in order to move forward for an inclusive government, but also to win the confidence and trust of the international community. as you know, international community. as you know. the _ international community. as you know, the security _ international community. as you know, the security council - international community. as you know, the security council has i know, the security council has been gridlocked for years on theissue been gridlocked for years on the issue of syria, do you anticipate that on long last be able to see a way forward in consensus? i able to see a way forward in consensus?— able to see a way forward in consensus? i hope that will be the case- _ consensus? i hope that will be the case. you _ consensus? i hope that will be the case. you are _ consensus? i hope that will be the case. you are right, - consensus? i hope that will be the case. you are right, we . the case. you are right, we have — the case. you are right, we have treen— the case. you are right, we have been gridlocked, even on the very— have been gridlocked, even on the very basic question of providing humanitarian aid to syria. — providing humanitarian aid to syria. the _ providing humanitarian aid to syria, the russians blocked consensus on that. but i think now— consensus on that. but i think now we — consensus on that. but i think now we are seeing very new fiow we are seeing very new messages now we are seeing very new messages emerging from the syrian — messages emerging from the syrian regime and i think we would — syrian regime and i think we would very much hope that the russians— would very much hope that the russians in particular would be able _ russians in particular would be able to— russians in particular would be able to come on board and join consensus _ able to come on board and join consensus. there is certainly a lot of— consensus. there is certainly a lot of interest, as we heard, around — lot of interest, as we heard, around the table, last monday,

on syria. — around the table, last monday, on syria, to understand what is happening and how best we individually as members of the security— individually as members of the security council of the un can help— security council of the un can help syria in this important transition at this moment of hope — transition at this moment of hope but _ transition at this moment of hope but also a moment, i think. _ hope but also a moment, i think. of— hope but also a moment, i think, of truth and reconciliation as they come to terms — reconciliation as they come to terms with the apartments brutality of the second gene. dame — brutality of the second gene. dame barbara woodward, good to talk to you at this time, thank you forjoining us. let's look in greater detail at one of the countries taken an active role in trying to shape what happens next. we have seen over the past week that israel has been bombing hundreds of strikes at what it says are strategic locations across syria, singing wants to keep bombs from going into the wrong hands. it does raised concerns amongst united

nations and his serious neighbours, seniorwas nations and his serious neighbours, senior was a violation of syrian sovereignty. we can now speak to my colleaguejon donnison who is injerusalem— but earlier this week was in the occupied golan heights. we have heard from the israeli defence minister singh is really forces would have to remain at the northern tip, explain serious —— position there. explain serious -- position there. ~ ., ~ there. we were in an arab villaue there. we were in an arab village right _ there. we were in an arab village right up _ there. we were in an arab village right up against - there. we were in an arab| village right up against the fence. _ village right up against the fence, so there is a huge barbed _ fence, so there is a huge barbed wire fence then you have the buffer— barbed wire fence then you have the buffer zone, and we could see is— the buffer zone, and we could see is really forces pretty much _ see is really forces pretty much operating at will within that— much operating at will within that buffer zone, coming and going — that buffer zone, coming and going into military vehicles. we could see tanks close to some — we could see tanks close to some of— we could see tanks close to some of the houses in that buffer— some of the houses in that buffer zone. we could see soldiers _ buffer zone. we could see soldiers moving around the stop israel's — soldiers moving around the stop israel's defence minister has

ordered _ israel's defence minister has ordered defence forces to seize all that— ordered defence forces to seize all that former syrian army positions within that buffer zone — positions within that buffer zone on— positions within that buffer zone on a temporary basis, they say, _ zone on a temporary basis, they say, and — zone on a temporary basis, they say, and they are working alongside un peacekeepers there~ — alongside un peacekeepers there. as you say, some arab countries _ there. as you say, some arab countries see this as an israeli _ countries see this as an israeli landgrab and are not happy, _ israeli landgrab and are not happy, but what is so fascinated in the golan heights is that— fascinated in the golan heights is that until 19 627, when israel— is that until 19 627, when israel captured and occupied the golan heights, that was syria. — the golan heights, that was syria. so— the golan heights, that was syria, so many of the people here — syria, so many of the people here have _ syria, so many of the people here have syrian roots and family. _ here have syrian roots and family, so i asked them what they— family, so i asked them what they would do if sometime in they would do if sometime in the future there was a peace deal— the future there was a peace deal and _ the future there was a peace deal and israel agreed to hang back— deal and israel agreed to hang back the — deal and israel agreed to hang back the golan heights to syria? _ back the golan heights to syria? something i think is unlikely _ syria? something i think is unlikely. some people said that if syria — unlikely. some people said that if syria up— unlikely. some people said that if syria up by then was a stable _ if syria up by then was a stable and progressive country, they would move back, but others _ they would move back, but others said if it wasn't they would _ others said if it wasn't they would move to tel aviv postop you even —

would move to tel aviv postop you even have some soldiers with — you even have some soldiers with syrian roots serving in the — with syrian roots serving in the israeli army. i asked them how— the israeli army. i asked them how they— the israeli army. i asked them how they feel about serving in the israeli army? they said they— the israeli army? they said they are _ the israeli army? they said they are in israel and are is really— they are in israel and are is really citizens, they serving the israeli army, if they were in syria — the israeli army, if they were in syria they would fight with the syrian army or the rebels, and if— the syrian army or the rebels, and if they— the syrian army or the rebels, and if they were in britain, they— and if they were in britain, they would fight with the british army. jon donnison, thank you — british army. jon donnison, thank you for _ british army. jon donnison, thank you forjoining - british army. jon donnison, thank you forjoining us - british army. jon donnison, | thank you forjoining us with your perspective from having spent the past few days in the occupied golan heights, right on the syrian border. so many countries across on the syrian border. s