speaking after the vote, he vowed to never give up. prince andrew says he "ceased all contact" with a businessman accused of being a chinese spy after the uk government raised concerns. his office stated that no sensitive information was ever discussed. and the mystery is continuing to grow in the us — after repeated sightings of unknown drones in several states on the east coast. the governor of newjersey has urged president biden to investigate. we will go live tojordan, where we are monitoring a press conference of arab countries in who our meeting together in order to agree to support a

peaceful transition process in syria after the fall of bashir al—assad. numerous countries including saudi arabia, egypt, uae, meeting together and saying that syrian state institutions must be preserved to stop the country from splitting into chaos. we are expecting the us secretary of state antony blinken to make his address as well. that will be following that meeting. the top officials being posted for this meeting, because they want to ensure that the situation in syria does not collapse, that the hts group that overthrew bashir al—assad in that surprise and click overthrowing of the syrian leader, that the camp —— country does not fall into chaos and that some form of peaceful transition to power as possible. for the moment, we have got some lines coming from this press conference from this

meeting of arab countries and also the us secretary of state. we will bring those lines to you. more now on developments in georgia, and the parliament has elected a new president. mikheil kavelashvili, a former professional footballer, who was put forward by the governing georgian dream party. live shots from the georgian capital tblisi. pro—eu protesters continue to gather in the capital tblisi and other cities, and accuse the georgian dream party of dragging the country back into russia's sphere of influence, when research suggests most georgians support joining the eu. the incumbent president and the pro—eu opposition say the process is illegitimate. mari kapanadze is a lawyer and activist in georgia — she was at

the protests today and joins me from tblisi. now that georgian dream has elected this new president, how do people react to that, and this is kind of a new way of electing a president, because this is not a popular vote, explain for our international audience how that has worked out. the mac hello, thank you for having me. today's event has a couple of problems. first of all we are claiming that the parliament we have right now has no legitimacy because the election has been falsified. therefore any election from this parliament is against the constitution and unlawful. the second thing is that he has been elected as a president and i can say that, for the whole

society to elect such a person who is well known, that he is not educated, is sexist and pro—russian and all was known as being a footballer in russia. the third thing is that over the legal procedures prescribed by the law, violates the election of the new president, has all been breached, because they did not follow those regulations, with this appointment through the whole of this process, therefore the president, the self—declared president does not have like the trust, and the election process has been... the election process has been- - -_ the election process has been... ~ ., ., ., , the election process has been... ., ., , been... we are going to pick up on this, been... we are going to pick up on this. but _ been... we are going to pick up on this, but we _ been. .. we are going to pick up on this, but we will— been... we are going to pick up on this, but we will cross - been... we are going to pick up on this, but we will cross to - on this, but we will cross to jordan to hear from the on this, but we will cross to jordan to hearfrom the us secretary of state antony blinken who is speaking now. less than a week than in any week— less than a week than in any week this _ less than a week than in any week this last half century. after— week this last half century. after the fall of assad are set out a — after the fall of assad are set out a set _ after the fall of assad are set out a set of principles, essential to delivering on the

aspirations of the syrian pe0ple _ aspirations of the syrian people who, for the first time, in most — people who, for the first time, in most of— people who, for the first time, in most of their lives, now have — in most of their lives, now have the _ in most of their lives, now have the prospect of shaping their— have the prospect of shaping their own future. i was in the region— their own future. i was in the region this _ their own future. i was in the region this week to build consensus around those principles with key partners. today. — principles with key partners. today, the united states and our partners in the region have agreed — our partners in the region have agreed on _ our partners in the region have agreed on a shared set of principles to guide our support for syria — principles to guide our support for syria and its people going forward _ for syria and its people going forward. america and our partners _ forward. america and our partners have an important stake — partners have an important stake in _ partners have an important stake in helping the syrian peogie _ stake in helping the syrian people chart this new path. we know_ people chart this new path. we know that what happens inside of syria — know that what happens inside of syria can have powerful consequences way beyond its borders, _ consequences way beyond its borders, for master statement, to terrorism. and we know that we cannot— to terrorism. and we know that we cannot underestimate the challenges of this moment and in the — challenges of this moment and in the weeks and months ahead. the syrian — in the weeks and months ahead. the syrian population is traumatised by decades of repression. throughout this rule — repression. throughout this rule the _ repression. throughout this rule the assad regime stoke tensions— rule the assad regime stoke tensions along ethnic and religious lines to divide the

syrian _ religious lines to divide the syrian people. after more than a decade — syrian people. after more than a decade of conflict, and many decades— a decade of conflict, and many decades of corruption, humanitarian needs of the peogie _ humanitarian needs of the people are massive. isis and other— people are massive. isis and other terrorist groups maintain a presence in syria i will want to use — a presence in syria i will want to use this— a presence in syria i will want to use this period of uncertainty to try to regain a foothotd~ _ uncertainty to try to regain a foothold. no one understand is these _ foothold. no one understand is these challenges better than these challenges better than the syrian people themselves, and syrians know that they will need _ and syrians know that they will need support from their neighbours and from the international community, to meet — international community, to meet these challenges. in this region— meet these challenges. in this region and elsewhere, we have seen _ region and elsewhere, we have seen how— region and elsewhere, we have seen how the fall of repressive regimes— seen how the fall of repressive regimes can swiftly give way to more _ regimes can swiftly give way to more conflict and chaos, how the shoes— more conflict and chaos, how the shoes of one dictator can be fitted _ the shoes of one dictator can be filled by another, or how interference by an outside country _ interference by an outside country can be thrown off only to be — country can be thrown off only to be replaced by another. that is why— to be replaced by another. that is why it — to be replaced by another. that is why it is _ to be replaced by another. that is why it is so important that we had — is why it is so important that we had our partners came together today to agree on principles that will guide our efforts— principles that will guide our efforts to help the syrian people meet these challenges,

and build the inclusive, nonsectarian peaceful and sovereign state that the one. our message to the syrian peogie _ our message to the syrian people is this. we want them to succeed — people is this. we want them to succeed. and we are prepared to help them — succeed. and we are prepared to help them do so. so this agreement sends a unified message to the new interim authority and parties in syria on the — authority and parties in syria on the principle is crucial to securing _ on the principle is crucial to securing much needed support and recognition reflected in the joint communique which will be issued — the joint communique which will be issued shortly. then the transition process should be syrian — transition process should be syrian led, i produced an inclusive _ syrian led, i produced an inclusive and representative government. the rights of all syrians — government. the rights of all syrians including minorities and — syrians including minorities and women should be respected, humanitarian aid should be able to reach— humanitarian aid should be able to reach those who need it, state — to reach those who need it, state institutions to deliver essential services to the syrian _ essential services to the syrian people. syria should not be used — syrian people. syria should not be used as a base for terrorist groups— be used as a base for terrorist groups or— be used as a base for terrorist groups or others who threaten the syrian people, its

neighbours or the world. chemical weapons stockpile shoutd _ chemical weapons stockpile should be secured and safely destroyed. syria should have peaceful relations with its neighbours, relevant organisations should have access— organisations should have access to facilities that can help— access to facilities that can help determine the fate of syrians _ help determine the fate of syrians and foreign nationals, and eventually hold abusers accountable. on this point let me just — accountable. on this point let me just add that the united states— me just add that the united states continues our own dog and determined efforts to find the american journalist, and determined efforts to find the americanjournalist, austin the american journalist, austin thys— the american journalist, austin thys and — the americanjournalist, austin thys and bring him home. nobody has illusions about how difficult this will be but the syrian _ difficult this will be but the syrian people are determined to break— syrian people are determined to break with the past and shape a tletter— break with the past and shape a better future. what we have seen — better future. what we have seen over the past few days, what — seen over the past few days, what the _ seen over the past few days, what the world has seen, so nrany— what the world has seen, so many demonstrations of syrians' commen— many demonstrations of syrians' commen to build a new nation and embrace new found freedom, to choose —

and embrace new found freedom, to choose national unity over narrow. _ to choose national unity over narrow, sectarian or ethnic interests, _ narrow, sectarian or ethnic interests, the syrian people came — interests, the syrian people came out to mosques in public squares— came out to mosques in public squares for victory day celebrations including the thousands who packed into the damascus ummayah mosque. we have seen— damascus ummayah mosque. we have seen people helping one another— have seen people helping one another help finding mrs —— missing _ another help finding mrs —— missing relatives, we have seen the sdf — missing relatives, we have seen the sdf raising the flag of the syrian — the sdf raising the flag of the syrian revolution and groups that — syrian revolution and groups that have joined up to clean streets. _ that have joined up to clean streets, to deliver bread and medicine _ streets, to deliver bread and medicine to those in need, and we hear— medicine to those in need, and we hear syrians in the streets singing — we hear syrians in the streets singing hold your head high, you are _ singing hold your head high, you are a _ singing hold your head high, you are a free syrian. for all of us, — you are a free syrian. for all of us, this— you are a free syrian. for all of us, this was unthinkable just— of us, this was unthinkable just a — of us, this was unthinkable just a week ago. and it does speak— just a week ago. and it does speak to _ just a week ago. and it does speak to the promise of this moment _ speak to the promise of this moment. we are determined to work— moment. we are determined to work with— moment. we are determined to work with the syrian people to shape — work with the syrian people to shape the future that lives up to that — shape the future that lives up to that progress, and today's agreement will lead to progress

towards — agreement will lead to progress towards that shared goal. i use the meetings we have had over recent— the meetings we have had over recent days with counterparts in egypt — recent days with counterparts in egypt and in qatar, to press forward — in egypt and in qatar, to press forward on _ in egypt and in qatar, to press forward on agreement for the release — forward on agreement for the release of hostages in gaza and the ceasefire, as we did in turi

thank you, good, that was a three — thank you, good, that was a three questions! so, first, we have — three questions! so, first, we have ireen— three questions! so, first, we have been in contact with hts and the — have been in contact with hts and the other parties, and impressed on everyone the importance of finding austen thys — importance of finding austen thys and bringing him home, and share _ thys and bringing him home, and share the — thys and bringing him home, and share the principles that i have _ share the principles that i have laid out, for ongoing support, _ have laid out, for ongoing support, principles adopted by countries throughout the region and wett— countries throughout the region and well beyond. we communicated those. that is direct— communicated those. that is direct contact, yes. with regard _ direct contact, yes. with regard to russian withdrawals i cannot — regard to russian withdrawals i cannot comment on anything beyond — cannot comment on anything beyond what i have seen reported in the media, i have certainly— reported in the media, i have certainly seen stories showing withdrawals, beyond that i would _ withdrawals, beyond that i would refer you to others in the administration. and on events— the administration. and on events in— the administration. and on events in south korea, with

president yoon, the important thing — president yoon, the important thing is — president yoon, the important thing is that the republic of korea — thing is that the republic of korea has demonstrated its democratic resilience. we have seen _ democratic resilience. we have seen it— democratic resilience. we have seen it follow peacefully a process laid out in its constitution and we are ready to work— constitution and we are ready to work with the person who assumes— to work with the person who assumes office and most importantly we strongly support the korean people, the ironclad atiiance — the korean people, the ironclad alliance thatjoins our the korean people, the ironclad alliance that joins our two countries together and has done so much — countries together and has done so much over the last few years _ question inaudible.

the needs are very significant in syria — the needs are very significant in syria and they have built up over— in syria and they have built up over a — in syria and they have built up over a long period of time and it has— over a long period of time and it has got— over a long period of time and it has got more complicated now for reasons i will get you but essentially this. the united states— essentially this. the united states is already the leading supplier of humanitarian assistance to syria and its people _ assistance to syria and its people but all of us are going to need — people but all of us are going to need to do more, to strengthen the ability to get 1525 00:13:23,041 --> 0