the syrian government completes the hand oh-fer of chemical weapons data to a watchdog. while a russian diplomat says their approach to syria may change if they don't play by the rules. and it's now one year until scotland decides whether to ditch the united kingdom. oil the superpiece of disagreement. and new york academics demand

the release of students date -- beaten up in a street protest against a former c.i.a. chief being appointed a professor. live from our studios here in moscow where it's just past 1:00 on a sunday morning, this is rt with international news and comment. the international chemical weapons watchdog says the syrian government has complied over the last remaining details of its toxic chemical weapons, as a result of the agreement hammered out by russia and washington last week. >> moscow has -- says it has fulfilled its obligation to send all the documents to the

o.p.c.w. now of course the o.p.c.w. has to work out a framework in order to deal with the procedures for the disarmament of syria. they were supposed to hold a meeting sunday, but they've postponed that indefinitely. but -- that was before it became known damascus has already sent the entire package of documents needed. but the united nations is slated to hold a discussion in new york in the coming week in order to discuss the deal hammered out a week ago in geneva. according to that deal, ma'am -- damascus has until 2014 to complete the disarmament program. there are some difficulties involved there, and that is the fact than the syrian chemical stock piles are actually distributed between various

points in the country and not all those parts are controlled entirely by the official damascus. there is also disagreement when it comes to the wording of the potential u.n. resolution. whereas 4r507bed, wash, and paris want to see the threat of military intervention be included in the u.n. resolution, moscow says such a resolution would be counterproductive. speaking in stockholm earlier on -- on saturday in stockholm, one said russia is not going to veto out of principle but -- principle. >> we are not protecting the syrian government. we are protecting the international law. and in in future, for example, i'm talking now theertical and hypothetically, if russia will become sure that assad, for example, is cheating, we might

change our position. but so far we don't have such evidence. >> again, russia has been adamant about the necessity of the diplomatic solution of the syrian crisis and it's been pushing the syrian government toward it. >> russia has done its part under the russian and american initiative on may 7. we have secured the damascus commitment to send a delegate to the geneva conference. our counterparts have so far failed to do the same. >> they also said the syrian opposition doesn't seem so eager to get to the negotiating table. some scuffles have happened sporadically ofe the past several years. and we must not forget the fact that there are numerous groups in syria itself which are supposedly fighting for the

opposition but they're at the same time openly with al qaeda and should that be in fact put in place, that would mean complete and total mayhem in syria, something we have already seen happening in countries such as libya. >> and although the u.s. might apparently push more moderate ribbles toward the negotiating table, it's not in control of those fighting government troops, according to a syrian political analyst we spoke to a little earlier. >> they do have an influence or they seem to have an influence on the politicians who say they represent the syrian opposition or form the syrian opposition or some of them at least. but where america doesn't really have much leverage is on the fored -- forces on the ground, those who carry weapons and who may have already seen this storvet -- saturday of agreement as a threat to their

existence and why would they comply? we've seen them destabilize the few agreements, all the agreements that have been reached throw the u.n. framework. is it really the americans', is it in their capability to push them to going to the geneva talks? i don't know. % i think this will have to be done through the major reasonable players like the saudis and turks. and those people actually control more of the forces on the ground because they're the ones who are supplying them with intelligence and military equipment much more thon the americans are doing. >> and the influx of refugees continues from syria. but as the conflict drags on, the conflict will swell. italy and bulgaria has already

accepted 6,400 refugees this year and is preparing for more. bulgaria says it's struggling to cope with the 2,000 it the taken in and had asked the e.u. for help. sweden, 4,700, germany, 4,500 and france has a request for -- from 700 asylum seekers. britain says it's not planning to take in asylum seekers, sending financial assistance instead. most insist there can be no easing of asylum rules. israel is investigating accusations it interfeerd with an aid convoy on friday. soldiers also seized one of the trucks. more on the events that have

caused such fury. >> video has just been released showing israeli soldiers manhandling a group of european diplomats as they tried to bring supplies, emergency aid and tents as well as a truck to a group of bedouins. as you look at the video, you can see the diplomats being surrounded by a huge group of israeli soldiers. as one french diplomat later complained, she was physically dragged from the truck, she was forced to the ground without any kind of guard -- regard for her diplomatic immunity. the army has said that this was a provocation and to quote the i.b.f., a disturbance of the piece. the e.u. diplomats deny this and say there was a blatant disregard for international law, that they were physically

manhandled and what happened was shocking and outrageous. the e.u. diplomats saying the israeli army has a moral responsibility that is also bound by responsibility law to look tfer the needs as well as assist people who are living in occupied territory. noy, at the same time, we're talking here about a community of bedouins. this is one of three communities that in the last six weeks has seen its homes destroyed. earlier the israel -- israeli high court rules -- ruled that this particular community, comprising some 120 people, were living illegally on land that was israeli, and as such they gave the order for the israeli army to bulldoze for homes, kindergarten and stables, that the argument from the community has been the argument from other bedouin commounts, that they have nowhere else to go, they've been live on this land for

generations and that it's needed for herding ground and for their cattle to graze. that is their source of livelihood. there were attempts earlier in the week bit e. aurvings -- e.u. to try to reach agreement. they tried to put up some tents, later taken down by the israeli army. but the response of the diplomats was that what israel is doing is not helpful. just last month they asked for a high ateous to the return to the negotiating table. so these interests are not going to do anything to push the peace process forward. scottish independence supporters are marching through edinburgh. it's not clear which way the

votes will swing. but some say huge oil reserves will guarantee the country's survival, while london says the two are better off together for survival. >> the sea of scottish flags here as the independence rally gets underway in edinburgh. this procession getting through the streets here. they will have talks from the scottish prime minister. earlier i was talking to the head of the campaign, blair general sins -- jenkins, and he said there was stale long way to go. wednesday marked one year until 18 september 201, did, 2014, when scottish voters will be asked to vote yes or anonymity >> i don't know why the government wouldn't want us to make decisions about ourselves.

that doesn't seem like a democracy to me, that they dictate to us. >> today is bay show of confidence, about the people of scotland saying we're not afraid. a lot of the no campaign or the better together campaign has been very negative. today is about the people of scotland just saying we're not afraid. we are a strong, independent nation and we will take the opportunities that are there. a lot of people have come here with their children. it's a family event. you can see the crowds here coming down with their signs. one of the signs i was reading earlier saying "yes takes courage." it certainly does, but it's going to take a lot more than courage to get the amount they need to see scotland become an independent country. there are some big questions that still need to be answered. >> it's a natural majority in scotland for independence because they believe scotland is a nation.

but more than that, when you ask where do you want the economy to be run from? edinburgh. where do you want super bowl security to be run from, edinburgh or london? people are saying in these polls, edinburgh. they want decisions for scotland to be made in scotland. up put these together, they want to control the economy and control wealth here, and decide for our beautiful country. we have to take these decisions. that is what independence is. if you become independent tomorrow you become the eighth most prosperous country in the e.c.b. so the real question is can we use that economic strength to build a more just society? >> strong, independent, that atmosphere at the scottish independence rally today. what this campaign gets questioned on is the details. they say more clarity willing provided when the governor

publishes his white paper on independence in november. these people here have already made their minds up, but what this referendum will rest on is the vast chunk of the population that according to the polls remain as yet undecided. >> the british government and unionists have no shortage of reasons as to why scotland should stay. among them the argument that the north as a small country simply wouldn't be able to make it on its owning oil or not the adam ramsey finds that argument insulting the >> scotland's got same population as denmark. bigger than norway. if you list the countries by population in the world, scotland is in the middle. so the idea that a normal sized country can't survive is insulting to all those other smaller countries who do very well and certainly i think

scotland can do very well. it's one of the richest countries on earth per capita. it's easy to see that scotland can make it like dan d denmark can. >> coming up after the break, we look at what's behind iran's plan to edge diplomatically closer to the united states. that and other stories shortly.

>>not the news continues here on rt. 16 minutes past the hour here in the russian capital. the u.s. is moving cautiously toward iran, which has offered to discuss its controversial

nuclear program. the u.s. said it's willing to talk as long as iran can prove its atomic programs are strictly dedicated to civilian use. but it's yet to be seen if washington is ready to act on its words the. >> when president obama was first elected, he was committed to a very far-reaching diplomatic engagement with iran , but we know now that in fact his policy was much different than what he was being presented to the world's people at that time, and in fact, he was not committed to trying to reach a -- an agreement with iran in the short run. he was putting off any serious diplomatic engagements. so i think it's very difficult to say on the basis of statements issued by the white house at this point whether there is going to be or has been a shift in u.s. diplomacy

toward really being willing to make the kind of concessions that are going to have to be made, specifically with regard to the economic sanctions against iran. that has to be on the table. it has to be a major part of if not all the economic sanctions that are going to be on the table for an agreement to be reached. >> dozens of ack -- academics at city university of new york are backing a protest against the appointment of former c.i.a. chief david petraeus as a professor there. he -- they have signed a petition for arrest the students to be released. >> former c.i.a. director and four-star general david petraeus recently began his career here in new york as adjunct professor at the city

university of new york. but his appointment has been met with criticism by those tho -- who say they don't want the man who oversaw drone strikes and torture in the middle east there. the anti-petraeus movement has been gaining traction, but activists say their campaign has been met with heavy-handed tactics in the -- from the new york city police department. one day last week about 75 people were marching rit -- did the right here across the street from that building where petraeus was ealedly attending a fundraiser. cops were videotaped trying to barricade the activist, who then spilled out onto the streets. witnesses say students were punched, slammed against vehicles and onto the pavement by the cops.

eventually six people were arrested and have been charged with obstruction of governmental administration, riot, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. this person is among the six students who were arrested and spent 28 hourds in police custody. she joins me to talk about her experience. denise, who -- what lead -- led to your arrest? >> some of us were targeted. they pushed us into the street and it just started from there. they grabbed one of my comrades about like 17 to 15 cops, slammed him against the car and then just all on top of him. so then i ran to try to help p in between two cars onto the back of my head. then i proceeded to get up and when i looked back of me, there was another about like 7 to 20

cops on top of my other comre, ls, and which i witnessed they picked up his shirt and a plainclothes officer just take two to five blows to his kidneys. then the cop just came and grabbed me, threw me back and then just cuffed me. i believe this was also an intimidation tactic used by the nypd. >> why is it that so many people are so unhappy with his new position as visiting professor? >> it's what he did that's we're against. it's not his character, it's what he represents. imperialism. war. misogynistic ways. >> dozens of academics have signed on to a petition asking all charges against the six students to be dropped.

many are are also calling on petraeus to resign from his position as visiting professor. >> time now for our world update. first we go to kenya where the number of victims in the deadly islamist attack on a shopping there there -- center there in the capital continues to rise. the the latest reports say at least 39 were killed and 150 injured by people with ak-47 rifles and hand grenades. one man said i lost close relatives and vowed to hunt down those behind the terror. and several assailants have been arrested, while one died after security officers laumped a counterattack. at least 96 people have now been declared dead in a series

of blasts in a shiite stronghold in bauthd. the majority -- baghdad. the majority were in the shia area of the city. a car bomb also struck a commercial street nearby, leaving nine dead. chancellor angelo -- angela looks set to win a third term when germans go to the polls. but many of the citizens are bitter over decline in personal spending power and asecure, par >> it's billed as europe's economic success story, but german voters feel the country is split between the haves and the have-in in -- have-knots.

>> germans are rich? yeah, the rich are. they own 60% of all the capital and the gap subpoena getting bigger. >> there are are places in germany that are so poor, the streets are in disrepair and theaters have to shut down. this town is broke. >> for most people the financial situation isn't good. >> this isn't the image many european partners have of the federal republic. if you were to ask someone from spain, they would tell you germanyay -- an economic land of milk ad hoy. that just isn't the case. after the pressures of reunification and the pressures of staying competitive globally, those days are gone the >> one way germany has stayed competitive is by keeping wages low. >> i know plenty of spaniards and greeks who come to germany looking for work and they are

scandalized by how low our pay is. it's not yuff -- enough to survive. >> in the runup to the campaign, the opposition has campaigned on alatform of raising th minimum ge. -- merkel's pty has insisted the introduction of a minimum wage would destroy the economic progress. these peopleay they just want a fair day pay for a day's work the >> there are so many jobs so you n svive. barely enough proposed is to low. it should be closer to 12 per hour. >> so-called mini jobs have also grabbed voters' attention ahead of sunday's ballot. a -- almost a quarve the workforce are 34r0eud in these part time and often low paid jobs. >> you can't contribute to a

pension. the days, everyone in the family has to work. >> i said with my roommate, it's a case of we make too little cash. either we give up our studies and find more work or we lose or 234r5789? whoever comes out op top in the ballot it going -- is going to face the cannot -- continuing task of trying to keep the german workforce on pace while the people are growing more frustrated. >> many this is rt.