nonsectarian government. this is a government. dominated by islamists, and syrians are waiting to see| how quickly they'll make good on their promises to put in place a governance i for all syrians. the assad regime possessed massive quantities of nerve agents and deadly chemicals. how much of that has been destroyed? the international inspectors say they need immediate access to sites where those chemicals were produced, fearful that it could be sold to the highest bidder. we will speak tonight to the us assistant secretary of state for arms control. also tonight, president macron names centrist francois bayrou as the new french prime minister. and he humble crumbl cookie, that went from a simple idea to a billion—dollar franchise.

good evening. the agency that oversees the monitoring and destruction of chemical weapons worldwide says it is concerned as to the whereabouts of syria's toxic chemicals. it is planning to send inspectors to damascus as soon as a connection is made with the interim government. the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons, based in the hague, says syria, as a signatory to the convention, is under an international obligation to safeguard and destroy dangerous substances. that includes stockpiles of chlorine and sarin gas which the assad regime used in at least two large—scale attacks. joining me now is mallory stewart. she is the assistant secretary of state for the bureau of arms control, deterrence, and stability at the us department of state. good to have you with us. how much do you think we knew it towards the end about assad's chemical weapons programme?

thank you so much for having me. we certainly knew about the declared programme, and in january 2015, the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons was actually able to confirm the destruction of the 1300 tonnes of the declared chemical weapons stockpile of the assad regime. however, since that time and even throughout the process of the syrian governmentjoining the syrian government joining the chemical weapons syrian governmentjoining the chemical weapons convention, we have been concerned that remaining stockpiles, remaining facilities and equipment that civilly were not declared and in fact that was born out through the course of the syrian civil war in nine confirmed cases of continuing chemical weapons used by the assad regime. and the organisation has 19 outstanding questions with respect to that declared stockpile, so we know that there is an existing stockpile of material not declared. we know there is

existing capacity and equipment, and that is a deep concern for the us government and the international community.- and the international communi . . , , ., and the international communi . . , . , community. yeah, because a list ofthe community. yeah, because a list of the missing _ community. yeah, because a list of the missing is _ community. yeah, because a list of the missing is long. _ community. yeah, because a list of the missing is long. the - of the missing is long. the washington post as seen in audit from the 0cpw that includes more than 16 tonnes of mustard gas in syria it admitted making but never accounted for and also enough syrian gas to fill a small swimming pool. you don't need much of that. do you worry that if that gets away from the sites where it was produced, he could fall into the wrong hands? ~ , ,., , hands? absolutely. the proliferation _ hands? absolutely. the proliferation concerns i hands? absolutely. the i proliferation concerns are hands? absolutely. the - proliferation concerns are of the highest degree for the us government and all of our partners in the can the weapons convention and indeed the international community should be concerned that if any of the remaining wmd materials including chemical weapons or ready logical weapons fall into the hands of those who would wish to use it against civilians or otherwise, that

will be a huge problem for international security. so certainly we all need to start working very closely and intensely with the 0cpw to prevent that proliferation from happening. prevent that proliferation from happening-— prevent that proliferation from haueninu. ,, . ~ happening. since the weekend, ou happening. since the weekend, you would _ happening. since the weekend, you would know _ happening. since the weekend, you would know that _ happening. since the weekend, you would know that the - happening. since the weekend, you would know that the us - happening. since the weekend, | you would know that the us and israel have it hundreds of sites across the country. do you think they have had enough sites to reduce the risk? 50 sites to reduce the risk? so i'm not sites to reduce the risk? if i'm not aware sites to reduce the risk? 5r i'm not aware of all of the sites or any other targeting that has happened by the israeli government i think the concern is that we need the 0cpw to confirm destruction. we need verification of the remaining stockpile to be overseen in its elimination, and i think it's very important that the new leadership in syria comes forward and openly declares as they were required to do under the convention any remaining chemicals, facilities or equipment. the remaining chemicals, facilities or equipment-— or equipment. the thing is we did have a _ or equipment. the thing is we did have a choice _ or equipment. the thing is we did have a choice in _ or equipment. the thing is we did have a choice in 2013. - or equipment. the thing is we did have a choice in 2013. the i did have a choice in 2013. the syrian government lost rockets

carrying syrian into a district of damascus and killed over 1000 people. the 0bama administration, which of course joe biden was part up, and the british parliament decided against intervention at that moment. with hindsight, do you think that was a mistake not to go in harder than we did? i don't believe it was a mistake. it resulted in the assad regime being forced to a certain degree tojoin the being forced to a certain degree to join the can weapons convention and admit to a chemical arsenal and a stockpile that they had denied for years and years. and i think allowing the 0ecpw to have oversight and insight into that stockpile and programme with more effective than any military activity could have been because in addition to the 1300 tonnes of chemical weapons that were declared as ultimately destroyed with international verification, having them be apart, having the syrian regime be a part of the syrian regime be a part of the chemical weapons convention allowed for inspectors, it

allowed for inspectors, it allowed for inspectors, it allowed for oversight and access to the facilities that... access to the facilities that - -_ access to the facilities that... �* ., that... but as you said cam of the continue _ that... but as you said cam of the continue to _ that... but as you said cam of the continue to produce - that... but as you said cam ofi the continue to produce these materials and then the use it again in 2017 which is why donald trump bombed the sites where it was being produced. so to what extent it did not work. no, i certainly understand your point that there is an amount of continuing capacity that preceded beyond theirjoining the can weapons convention. however, even when military intervention, chemical weapons are able to be stored and hidden often from military exercises, military bombing and otherwise. so the chemical weapons that were declared, the programme that was allowed to be exposed provided the 0ecpw and the international committee access to raising flags, allowing the international community to inform the broader public that this was to look us that we had to address and allowed for resources to flow into the white helmets in syria

and other civilian capacities on the ground to protect individuals. so while additional uses happened, the only way to destroy 1300 tonnes of chemical weapons and to keep the international spotlight on the international spotlight on the assad regime's chemical arsenal was to allow the 0ecpw and the international unity the in there under the convention. it is clearly a serious concern for all their neighbours and i'm pretty sure it was part of the conversation that secretary antony blinken has had with some of the leaders in those countries in recent days. use it within the national security framework. has there been any discussion about tying aided money for the new interim government to access for the inspectors? government to access for the tweeters?— government to access for the insectors? . , . , inspectors? certainly there has been discussion _ inspectors? certainly there has been discussion of— inspectors? certainly there has been discussion of working - inspectors? certainly there has| been discussion of working with the international organisations and our partners and regional allies and partners to help provide resources to address the challenge of the remaining stockpile. and that's something thatis stockpile. and that's something that is certainly ongoing, and again it's of the highest priority to the us government right now. so we are continuing

these discussions and will make sure to work closely with the 0ecpw is all states and parties to the convention should be doing and that is very much a the top of our discussion topics. the top of our discussion toics. ,, . ._ the top of our discussion toics. ,,. ._ topics. secretary mallory stewart. _ topics. secretary mallory stewart. 90 _ topics. secretary mallory stewart, go to _ topics. secretary mallory stewart, go to talk - topics. secretary mallory stewart, go to talk to - topics. secretary mallory | stewart, go to talk to you topics. secretary mallory - stewart, go to talk to you this evening, that you so much for being with us.— being with us. thank you so much. we will get plenty of reaction to the interview from our guest and i and our panel coming up at nine p:m.. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

it has been a day of celebration in syria. tens of thousands were on the street of the capital, damascus, and in cities across the country to mark the overthrow of the brutal assad regime, scenes that would have been unthinkable only a week ago. it was the first friday prayers since the rebel groups took power in the country. 0ur international editor jeremy bowen sent this report from damascus. this ancient city has seen countless upheavals overfive millennia.

for modern syria, though, with its old flag restored, nothing matches the fall of the assads. the end of the first week without an assad in charge since 1970 brought thousands of syrians into the umayyad mosque to thank god for their deliverance. chanting. the chant is "the people want the execution of bashar". the regime's collapse and liberation from assad's brutal security state are powering a sense of great optimism. for all the people here, this puts the seal on it. this is absolute proof that they have won and the regime has gone. just flying one of these black, white and green flags a couple of weeks ago could've got you arrested, jail time, or even a bullet. the fighters of hayat tahrir al—sham, hts, are still basking

in their achievement. that white flag used by syrian islamist fighters was also behind the new prime minister in a broadcast. hts insists it's renounced its former extremist ideology. some syrians do not believe them. samir, overwhelmed, back from britain after 44 years, is hoping for a tolerant future. this is our country. this is not al—assad country. he is gone now. i don't know how we are going to rebuild it. it has been... he has been corrupting this country for 50 years, but this is the people who is going to build the country. so wish us the luck. everyone in the world... and please, please leave us alone. leave us alone. 0k? we appreciate your support, but we don't want anyone to interfere with our decisions, what we are going to do. this is their decision. syria's future is full of challenges. hts is an islamist group. what will that mean for girls and for women?

how do syrians getjustice for the regime's crimes? they meant it when they called for bashar�*s execution before the prayer. their new rulers told them to celebrate the blessed revolution, so they did. syrians understand that it won't be easy to overcome 50 years of dictatorship and 1a years of war, but this was a day to seize and enjoy. thousands converged on umayyad square in the centre of damascus. it's as if an enormous weight has been lifted off a nation. i have never seen so many smiling people in syria. we are free. we are feeling... we are free. we are feeling the feelings of the free. we're never free like this. i want all the world to see us. we are free now. the world. and where are the south? nonh? we are free. the fighters are the heroes now, bringing their kids posing their kids, posing

for photos with other peoples�*, but when the party's over, people need to eat in an economy smashed by war and corruption. i asked idi halonen and her daughters what they need. just needed freedom to do. no taxes, no stolen money taken from us. just we want to be independent. we want to be an independent people. syria is an independent country. nobody controls us. nobody can rule us, butjust the syrians themselves. it's too soon for firm answers to syria's problems, but the placards set an agenda. bring the assads to justice, civil rights for all and syria is for every syrian, no matter who they are. jeremy bowen, bbc news, damascus. plenty of outside parties with an interest in the stability of syria. we will talk shortly in the programme to someone who advised the president of turkey. let's talk about some

breaking news in the last hour that has come from the palace. the duke of york insist he have stopped all contact with a business man accused of being a chinese spy after receiving advice from a government. prince andrew said he met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed. the businessman described as a close confidant of the prince lost an appeal yesterday after previous home secretary sabella braverman barred him from entering the uk on national security grounds. the judges on national security grounds. thejudges heard on national security grounds. the judges heard the businessman had formed thejudges heard the businessman had formed a the judges heard the businessman had formed a close working relationship with prince andrew, receiving an invitation to his birthday party in 2020. he was told he could act on the prince's behalf when dealing with potential investors in china. a prince under pressure, an adviser standing by him, and a mystery businessman we cannot name — was this set

of special relationships now revealed in an extraordinary court document the moment the chinese state targeted the royalfamily? for ten years, prince andrew promoted the uk's relationship with china as a trade envoy. i believe that china is a very, very important country. it's one that the uk needs to continue to have a good relationship with. from state dinners to business talks, he helped forge closer ties. this one a business event nine years ago with china's president, xi jinping. a judgment from the special immigration appeals commission — that's a semi—secret court — has revealed that a chinese man known only as h6 has been banned from the uk because he's a threat to national security. the duke's adviser, dominic hampshire, told h6 that he could act for the duke in talks with potential chinese investors. when the security services searched h6�*s phone in 2021, they saw evidence that he might be deceiving the prince to gain influence for the chinese communist party. the court found that h6 had

been in a position to generate relationships with prominent uk figures which could be leveraged for political interference purposes. there was a letter from dominic hampshire on the phone. he told h6 that... h6 also had a note of how to handle the duke himself. it said... m15 concluded h6 was working for beijing. there's no suggestion mr hampshire was aware. the bbc has approached him for comment. counterespionage investigators feared the duke had been the target of elite capture. that's the chinese communist party's operation to seek influence across british life. and so the home secretary used her exceptional powers —

reserved for the most serious national security cases — to ban the businessman from the uk. the chinese embassy has called the allegations a baseless smear, but experts are not surprised. typically, they would go for members of the house of lords, or prominent businesspeople, or people who, you know, have a voice in a community. it's quite ambitious to target a member of the royal family, and quite unwise for a member of the royal family to allow himself to be targeted. it was his... prince andrew withdrew from public life in the aftermath of his newsnight interview over his relationship with the now dead sex offenderjeffrey epstein. that relationship raised questions ofjudgment. there are now, thanks to this astonishing case, questions of judgment again. dominic casciani, bbc news. a number of unexplained jones which have been spotted in the

skies of newjersey and pennsylvania have residents and lawmakers in the us concern. speaking at a briefing today, the white house national security spokesperson john kirby said the government has no evidence the drone sightings reported pose a national security or public safety threat. ~ . ., . . threat. we have no evidence at this time the _ threat. we have no evidence at this time the reported - threat. we have no evidence at this time the reported drugs i this time the reported drugs that plaza national security or public safety threat or have a four annexes. the department of homeland security in the fbi are investigating the sightings and they are working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin. using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities corroborate any of the reported visual sightings. to the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears in many other reported

sightings are actually manned aircraft are being operated 1543 00:19:02,