compared to the late eighty's. if we look at the middle east for example in most countries where people took to the streets demanding resignation of their leaders these leaders have been in power for twenty or thirty years it is unbelievable mubarak has ruled egypt for twenty nine years as for gadhafi we are all confused about the actual date when his rule began so i think we were right when we said there should be a limit otherwise people got tired of the same leaders in addition after ten years or so you get nepotism leaders become too preoccupied to take care of the things that are really important that's why we decided that the maximum term for the general secretary the chairman of the council of ministers and others would be ten years after ten years they had to step down. so you think ten years is the ideal period for a head of state but yes of course many of those people are very capable they can be very useful in other areas but it is important to have rotation young people should

not feel like they are locked in a box lest they upset the system built on nepotism if you concerned when i look at the world today. lenin whom i respect once said don't be afraid of chaos we see a lot of chaos around chaos produces new forms of life it is true so these troubles too will pass it won't be easy of course changes are never easy but this will be a step to a better future. doesn't get what. he often say about what you regret most is that disintegration of the soviet union do you think that it could exist in two thousand and eleven what it would have been like today had it not integrated. it could exist even longer it should have become a union of sovereign states with the communist regime. being a union of sovereign states means that each sovereign state has the right to make its own choice the conditions we were in required that we practice what the constitution said and the constitutions of the soviet republics said they were

states entitled to self-determination that's why we should have made them sovereign states. with different regimes different political systems mean that some countries could be democratic while others remain communist you. know i think they all would have followed the same scenario because they would be making their choice at a stage when they were still close to each other in many respects so if something would change in one stays others would follow. they would have been like communicating vessels today sixty or seventy percent of people say they were gresh that the soviet union fell apart because when you asked them if they want the soviet union to be restored only nine percent say yes. we would do you blame yourself for the fall of the soviet union. no i fought the best i could to defend the soviet union but i failed why do you think the c.i.s. fell apart it is practically nonexistent. that's because of the political situation

we had in our country after nine hundred eighty nine the elite played a role there after nine hundred eighty nine we had the coup first they tried to overthrow gorbachev using political means but they failed because people supported gorbachev i always wanted to ask during the coups what you were isolated what did you feel. i knew anything could happen it was not just a feeling i knew it. they tried to provoke us and get us to start shooting and then they would document that and have the right to shoot back and kill us. and that's the way what were you afraid the most for your life your country. you. know for my family and of course i thought that it was not going to be just my family other people may suffer too i knew there would be bloodshed. especially if you consider how big our country is it takes our country a while to start but when it does it is very hard to stop so my goal was to renew

the country without bloodshed. when you started the perestroika could you imagine the scale of the changes to calm. people and i think i did but not completely it is dangerous to start a storm in our country if you lose control you may get into a lot of trouble crew shelves reforms basically failed and reforms failed we realized from experience that it was dangerous to wait much longer that we had to take a risk but we couldn't we needed changes. what. you were saying that you didn't quite understand the scale of it all when did you finally get a clear realization that there was no return to the past. i don't agree when people say that perestroika failed it didn't fail it was disrupted

railed stopped but still perestroika achieved a lot inside russia we had democracy free elections freedom of conscience private property freedom to travel abroad everything. there was so much openness the entire country was affected people realized they had finally got some freedom an opportunity to act in foreign affairs we put an end to the cold war we normalized our relationship with the u.s. we reunited germany we didn't send our tanks our troops there all our units in eastern europe stayed where they were and i will put you through. i suppose. so let's talk about foreign policy twenty five years ago you started the process of disarmament between the soviet union and the united states today president obama and medvedev are making further steps to get rid of nuclear arsenals do you think it will ever come to that world without nuclear weapons. we must do

it and i believe that sooner or later we will get there but to get there we have to put the world back in order first nuclear arsenals were significantly reduced thanks to our efforts during perestroika today when the world is so divided we need to find things that bring us together for instance the g. twenty is a step which brings us closer it's an instrument and a mechanism for handling the hardest and most challenging issues but we need more than that it's a matter of learning to live in a global world. it's what. two years ago you were nineteen barack obama and that was during the elections before he became president and you said the united states needed its own perestroika and that obama seems to be the right man to carry it out has obama lead up to your expectations as a president. i think he's been doing a good job so far by the way i met with him when he was in moscow i told him your approval rating is still high that's great but remember as soon as you get to some

real big issues it'll drop you should be ready for that he said i understand that i think the fact that he got his health care bill approved is terrific but rich republicans don't like it i admire him because when things got hot for example when they had to get the new start treaty ratified he got involved personally he talked to people and about twelve senators changed sides and sided with the democrats and eventually the treaty was ratified i wish him good luck what would you say is the difference between twentieth century and twenty first century politicians because what they do. not depends on politicians we take as examples if we take hitler then every politician of the twentieth or the twenty first century is very different from him if we talk about the one nine hundred eighty s. it was a time when we saw a large group of politicians from asia america and europe joined forces to stop the nuclear arms race and begin disarmament with the ultimate goal of uniting the world

i think we should give them credit for that it was a very interesting time because. some people consider you the number one politician of the twentieth century. always remember when you were number one there's a great responsibility that comes with that actually though you can't give a single politician credit for everything or there is always a group of people who realize the challenges of their time they understand what is going on in the world. what do you think has the potential to become a politician of the twenty first century. we'll have to wait and see no one you can name at this point. no i would not give the title to anyone for now they have to earn it no one praised else until we walked the talk today's politicians are not even at the talking point yet but what matters is what they will do the steps they will take their policies we know from history that every time there was

a new challenge a new leader would emerge sometimes they emerge too late after some damage was done we have to avoid that we have to act in time. to many people you played a major role in many important events the unification of germany the end of the cold war perestroika some people say that you were the one who brought down the soviet union you were awarded the nobel peace prize some say that you were at the last really a liberal of our time what do you think is your most important legacy. or should i think it is the fact that the world is no longer divided that it is mostly free from ideological antagonism this is perhaps the most important thing this creates conditions for further progress. people abroad love you and respect you a lot while russian seven different opinions what do you make of that fact that you are more appreciated abroad than. mine i think it's normal after

all i worked in russia and many things started here it wasn't always easy many things did not work out the way we planned at the beginning when we made our first mistakes we didn't really explain to people what was going on and didn't get them involved in all those processes we were self-confident but in public politics i don't think we have ever lost a major battle. what about now what are your priorities in life. my priority is to help people realize that there are other people around them and conduct themselves accordingly in fact that's what religion teaches that you should help your neighbor and many people have this understanding they're willing to help others support them. so the most important thing is to remember about other people and their problems are used for what eighty the whole world is celebrating your birthday at the end of march in london few people can say i made this world

a better place but you can say that about yourself if your children grandchildren great grandchildren what do you lack. for that the words that you would lose there are a few things i didn't have time to do and i regret it. but i miss my wife who was my best friend and i lost her in this fierce battle it's hard you can't forget about things like that sometimes i look at people with a lot of money and they may have many wives many women but we were different we were very close to me and to be frank with you another thing i wish i had these days is good health well i wish you good health and many more years happy birthday to you and thank you very much.

he. believes each. team has been to the republican. center of russian defense production. heads to central russia. candy crush so become an industry. the harsh winter make schools even more enjoyable. and where everyone can train to be a stump. for the younger small. russia close

up on oxy. some stories from our. cows the u.k. considers military intervention in libya there are fears the ongoing violence could trigger another disastrous campaign russia and other foreign governments are simply against news which involves the use of international military told. us foreign policy has some americans questioning the country's ever changing political position which they say regularly sees them supporting the bad guys but with major shifts in power in parts of north africa the middle east some americans fear the underestimate come from global influence. on the last leader of the soviet union celebrates his eightieth birthday. the cancellation of state censorship and the promotion of free speech but some accuse him of paving the way for perspective from chaotic reform. twenty two forty five era moscow wednesday night sport.

hello and welcome to the latest sports news and here are the headlines staying alive today on the most appropriate week and for all the teams still have everything to play for off the presumed night of playoff action in the k h l. while under the knife thirteen time grand slam winner serena williams undergoes emergency surgery from blood clot on how long. just in time world number one rafael nadal says he's fit to help spain in the davis cup opener against belgium. all the tennis news to come but first to ice hockey where k h l regular season champions of on gold have lost for want of time to know if the human to trail streets in the first round of the playoffs the hosts were behind after just two minutes and ego was enough to humiliate in front and though both sides netted in the second was to

score twice in the final periods to wrap up their victory and take the three two lead in their best of seven series else well that's a leg edged buglers you grab for three in overtime to also take as three two lead. over to english football now and also looking to bounce back from the disappointment of last sunday's carling cup final defeat as they host third tier opponents leyton orient in an f.a. cup fifth round replay the gunners all without dutch striker robin van persie and captain says fabregas but the spaniard could return to the champions league tie against barcelona next week and this replay is one of two fifth round match is taking place this wednesday night at eastlands there's also an all premier league tie as man to city hosting aston villa on the window while notch will face reading in the quarter finals after the championship side stunned premier league everton one day on tuesday night matt mills twenty six minute goal was enough to send the royals into the sixth round. now picking up a red cards doesn't usually benefit

a football. paula but for blackmon skipper ryan nelsen it came as a blessing as the new zealand used the ensuing one match ban to return home and support his family after they survived last month's devastating earthquake in christchurch the center back was sent off during rovers four one defeat at aston villa on saturday so nelson who also captains the national side returned to his home town where his father met him at the airport at least one hundred sixty people were reported dead after a powerful earthquake hit the city on february the twenty second thankfully nelson's family were all on homs but the realisation has yet to dawn on him. sure the image of serious doesn't seem real it seems surreal on t.v. you know it just sounds. unbelievable or not you know i just i just feel for everybody right to go through it and these two small somebody or a lost a business or something and. i'll be trying to do it i came to to help out in any form. tennis now and thirteen time grand slam winner serena williams has undergone

an emergency operation in los angeles the american is reported to have had surgery on monday after doctors found a blood clot one's younger william sister will stay in hospital for further treatment the twenty nine year old has been out of action since climbing of course wimbledon title last july she cuts her right foot on some glass in a restaurant while so bright i'm not trying hard to try to test because i've got injury or suffer in this past week. but i'm happy and that's current men's world number one rafael nadal is preparing to make his fully fledged come back from injury and the top ranked spaniard says he is fit for his country's davis cup clash with belgium this weekend but all picked up my mind a leg injury in the australian open quarter files in january and has been sidelined ever since but he now joins his spanish teammates as vera beaten a doll in the last eight match in melbourne along with fernando verdasco and for the theone i like that davis cup opener away to belgium at the spirit inshallah and

four time former champions spain the overwhelming favorite is to make the last eight however the returning adult dance will be a walk over for them i'm fine i already. started the bike as a few weeks ago so happy to be back on the competition by going on important competition like like baby sky. for sure is a major motivation on the. show going to be difficult on foundation i ran city as well as your. now ukraine's boxing champion vitaly klitschko has once again thrown down the gauntlet to fellow champion david haye saying there's hardly any way the briton can wriggle out of a fight without losing his dignity the holder of the w.b.c. heavyweight belt spiking masterclass who was holding training top look yes i'm here taking a punch or two my kids who tend to the clinic to go is one of the few possible

opponents behavior for his younger brother with the mayor who's also on the short list k. is planning to retire on his thirty first birthday on the thirteenth of october and be a champion wants to fight on july the second both to go brothers have back shadow before then the tally is still raring to go against hey. david haye has backed yourself into corners and he will not escape with his lame excuses now we have a time that this fight should take place if it doesn't happen then david haye is a coward or you will not play cricket now and kevin i brian hit the fastest century in world cup history as ireland pulled off one of the biggest ever shocks in the tournament as they beat england by three wickets in a remarkable well cup group b. match in bangalore england won the toss and decided to bat open as andrew strauss and kevin thomson picked off the boundaries of one period still missing try top school for a record ninety six and in that match the eighty one before to the good catch

will come after the quick sixteen and ending close on an impressive three hundred twenty seven freight in reply all those hopes are doomed as they stopped two hundred eleven for five but kevin o'brien back at square sat down with inspirational fight back helps by poor fielding a prime hit the torrents quickest ever turn to get a chance of victory he reached his hand there was just fifty boards smashing strike two papers record of success it was in two thousand and seven a grind was eventually run at four hundred thirty from just sixty three balls. i and i left meeting only eleven from eleven boards is that the winning for the beat a stunning three two was by force to spare the what is arguably the finest moments i wish i could tell the story. meanwhile the snowboarding world cup will take to the slopes here in moscow on saturday and ahead of the event constantine to top off interviewed one of russia's hottest prospects for the sochi olympics and units of

us in the. journey now is one of the rising star suppression snowboarding i don't as i was in it who triumph in the peril giant slalom at world championships in spain hello i'm a nice to meet you but i have to start with a question about your knee injury that you got on the next day a few glorious victory what's latest news tell us a little bit about your ability. i injured after i won the world championships and it was quite devastating news for me and i actually first i thought that nothing serious happened i thought it would be like something maybe like some. really good minutes or something and it would take a week but then when i came back to moscow and i took some. m.r.i. tests my doctor said that it takes way longer than one week and takes like six months to recover everything is going. quite normal for such a injury and i think i'll be better than i ever was after all this.

training trainings and workouts which i have here and i'll be back i'll be back in july. let's remember some positive moments. when that the world the world championship what was the most special for you i just think it was like very special for me because we always have the same people in the world cups and the world championships. it all came you know a bit later than that particular day i was just on my like the best mood ever probably feeling invincible and feeling so great that before that i won the world cup once and i was quite i had some solid stars before the world championships but that day i just so nervous before the start i you couldn't

imagine but after that when the finalists started. it all felt better and better in every run felt like more solid and more consistent and after that i was just like whoa so i have a new name right now like the world champion of the entire planet. you must have been frustrated to get me off to your flawless victory didn't spoil your impressions of your when they had stephan list. i don't think it spoiled actually the impression the impression of the wind because maybe it maybe maybe didn't like it highlighted the victory i had because you know. who knows what the results would be for me in the world cup you know the rest like three or four world cups maybe i would be like in top sixty maybe i would crash like usually i really i'm really not consistent in the end of the season because i'm tired and right now i don't have a chance to frail anymore so i actually it was maybe the best time to quit this

isn't. fun finally news of a small football tragedy as panama defender luis moreno faces sanctions for delivering the apparently fatal kick to a mascot out during a league match in colombia this is the unsuspecting bird landing on the pitch that used to serve as a mascot for the local team that's a union and said something about it but it also the way of the ball and then deportivo put that is what i know the but off the pitch it was later diagnosed with a leg fracture then went into shock and died two days later when i did apologize for his action could still be suspended and fined. and that's all the sports news but this one isn't. great for the field we've got. the biggest issues get

a human voice face to face with the news makers.

brighton. song from feinstein.

starts on t.v. don't come. on i'll teach tonight echo of a rock considers military intervention in libya there are fears the ongoing violence in north africa could trigger another disastrous campaign. as washington seeks to shake up its foreign policy members of congress question the u.s. government's ability to back the right candidate in north africa or the middle east . plus a bumpy revolutionary road as the last leader of the soviet union turns eighty takes a look at the country's democratic transition why some blame the company for bringing destruction along with it. you're watching out see it eleven pm moscow time welcome if you just joined kevin

zero in on our top story tonight the opposition in libya claims to afford off an attack by colonel gadhafi forces in the east. in all rich town of brega reports say fourteen people though have been killed in the fighting meanwhile the un has warned of the unfolding humanitarian crisis in which one is in border with thousands have been fleeing the violence in libya what is paul asli is into this with more tonight so far more than seventy five thousand people have fled here to tunis from neighboring libya the situation on the border is chaotic this border guards the struggle to keep that in his latest address to the libyan people need and want to does he want against american intervention in his country a few he said that should the united states or any other find in our right to intervene thousands of libyans would die he said to quote him that he was willing to fight if we lost and if we lost women are here to keep control in his country he also said that he was not the president and therefore he could not resign he could not dissolve.