jetted by the syrian government here they could have played interference with the internal affairs really the sense here from damascus is that the government here are working on their own reforms they want the arab league mission to focus on their job of course the problem is you've got countries in the arab league like saudi arabia like. now seeing the sense that they're reaching democracy to syria when of course they themselves don't have the most the. russia's stance is once again that this should be seeking resolution with alice for an intervention now i've actually spoken to the national coordinator council which is the opposition within the country they welcomed the maven again reiterated their stunt that as long as there is no move towards foreign military intervention that they are very pleased with the response from the arab league mission because you still got observers on the ground it's expected that the mission is actually now going to continue possibly for another month and paul tilsley saying of their powers and

their numbers as well of course what you don't want to see happen now is that the arab league mission which is really the only route there remains a teacher seeing dialogue in the country to now have blocks put in its way so the question really is how to make the mission the observer mission more effective because as we've been witnessing in the past couple of weeks really at the moment in the country what you want to be thing is the sightedness and not further division. or civilization. or. going. to homes the conflict has moved ever closer to the country's capital now many damascus suburbs are also in brussels in the conflicts between government forces and the armed opposition. well this is all that's left of many of the houses now inside just absolutely gutted it's broken glass you've got bullet holes lining the walls you've got clothes strewn around the house where people have left them behind

fleeing very quickly you can really see here the devastating consequences that this conflict has hurt the picking up the pieces were easy amongst the opposition themselves they're all worrying divisions and as the conflicts become increasingly violent there are now areas of the country where it's unclear exactly who's in control what do the people here. think the syrian army having control not all it's good to see you are not told there are. a lot of number a number of six weeks ago is in charge and so. the good and the diversion of the stuff arab league observers look set to remain in the country for another month trying to build the basis for multi-party elections even seen by the international community although you are or you are into a position you have to put in your mind that you have to work with the other sides

working with the other side don't look. good with thousands killed bringing the different factions to the negotiating table is going to be a major task sara for our city damascus syria a few members have voted to impose further sanctions on iran in an attempt to curb its nuclear ambitions which to crown maintains are purely peaceful the measures target the iranian oil sector the country's main source of morning calm banning any future contracts russia expressed its regret over the move saying it undermines diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis artists are syria has more. it's sensually a total oil embargo it will have immediate effect on new contracts but the existing contract will be allowed to run for another six months they've also agreed on a ban on a gold and gold trade and other precious metals with the iranian central bank all of these of course aiming to financially and economically cripple iran over its

controversial nuclear program with western leaders still insisting iran is trying to build nuclear weapons while terror ron denies this now the e.u. embargo follow strict new or u.s. sanctions that were passed into law by president obama in january so as far as the e.u. is concerned by july it will be a full and total implementation of these new sanctions this is unprecedented in terms of the scope and the desired a potential effect on iran but it is also one president in terms of its potential economic impact on the european union itself let's not forget the e.u. imports up to twenty percent of the ring in all its second biggest buyer and one of the twenty seven the biggest buyers within that are elite spain and greece the very same countries that are now struggling to deal with that sovereign debt crisis in greece in particular heavily dependent on the radio oil with up to one third of its total imports from iran also its relying on for easier credit terms so they will definitely have to find alternatives for these countries these are what their leaders will have to talk about how to cushion the potential economic impacts on

the several member states and of course because of all the uncertainty oil markets have already reacted pushing oil prices higher oil prices will just mean higher prices of goods meanwhile france britain and germany said they were willing to negotiate the sanctions if it's a tonic activities but columnist in asia times correspondent says iran's patience is just about to end. the p five plus one as it's called a slide for on the members of the security council goes germany does should sit down three or actively by the end of this month. in this still able. to start talking again about about iranian nuclear programs but i wonder if iran has any incentive at the moment in effect the hard line there is into there are say exactly that. after the sanctions believe the are fully implemented on july first we're going to close down this street of hormuz as

a reaction this is something that they need to see themselves their internal public opinion because they are being pressured all the time by the europeans the americans in the europeans in the radiance eighty million iranians are asking themselves what is our government doing to defend that in effect that we have the right to choose to develop a peaceful nuclear program and there is no if it is eighteen you we're glad you're a national intelligence estimates in the united states that they are developing a nuclear weapon coming up later in the program the twists and turns of russian politics as the electoral campaign intensifies presidential hopeful wasn't approved and wants to get tough on immigration. both houses of the french parliament have passed a bill making it a crime to deny the killings of an estimated one and a half million armenians in one thousand fifteen by the ottoman empire the move has been strongly criticized by turkey which denies it was a genocide to discuss this issue further let's talk to around hari n r rahman

executive director of the armenian national committee of america thanks for being with us mr embury and what does this decision by france mean firm unions around the world. well i think at its heart what happens it was the approval of a genocide prevention measures something that is a powerful stand against turkey's denial of the army of genocide but more broadly a vote for a world without genocide for ending the cycle of genocide so many countries around the world russia canada france of course italy sweden switzerland others recognize this crime so we think it's a step toward mounting pressure increasing pressure on turkey to finally come to terms with your many genocide truthfully and justly some critics say that president sarkozy whose party proposed the bill is just trying to win votes among the six hundred thousand ethnic armenians living in france do you think that that's the case i think that the support for the measure came from across the political spectrum in france as it has in so many countries everywhere in the around the

world that there's been a vote the voters are almost universally going to see this problem recognize that the soul center of the oil is up around one very welcome aspect of this for us those are mean americans is that a chance to spotlight on president obama president obama promised as a candidate as a senator to recognize you're going genocide immediately after getting elected growth we hope that this reminds the president was obligation to his own commitments and also remind him of that he was to the right thing and the congress should do the same car has already suspended our military economic and political ties with paris and now we hear that turkey's ambassador to france warning everyone is going to suffer from the move why do you think that this is such a sensitive question for modern day turkey. well first let me just point out that in two thousand while i believe it was one or five parliament initially recognized genocide i'm not exactly sort of your but when we did subsequent to that

recognition trade between our own actually increase so turkey is pretty much a paper tiger it makes very vocal threats that ultimately don't follow through they they're going to do what they do in terms of trade and military relations based on their own interest so i think. very much paper tiger number one number two i think there's. an inclination among turkish politicians to play to the lowest common denominator there is a very hardline element in turkey that abuse this is a matter of national pride there are others who see that turkey maybe may need to pay for its crime and they're fearful of that but it's certainly the lowest common denominator to take in turkish politics hostage and sadly taking american politics hostage just well not turkey says that the casualties were the consequences of war claiming the number of victims was actually much smaller would you agree with the statement of course that that's not that's a tactic of the mild used by people who try to come up on the side of the board

that's used by holocaust deniers those who deny the massacres and who want to try to side in cambodia very often they'll say well this was not a this was not a genocide or all it was a cop that's that's that's them talk that's a lie this was a full force of the ottoman army wiping out innocent men women and children driving them into the desert every serious scholar recognizes that fact and a growing number of countries around the world as well and finally do you see our relations deteriorating event free of their. what i would say is this if the french relations are ever going to be are actually from fighting that fighting is with you the truth it's will be a mutual respect but just as this cycle of turkey bullying and bribing their way to silence in other countries is no basis for first table issues how is around him her a from the armenian national committee of america thank you for being with us. now to libya where at least four people have been killed and twenty others wounded as

forces still loyal to colonel gadhafi attacked the former leader stronghold of bani walid earlier the national transitional council's leader warren jeffs that the country was on an edge of civil war weeks of protests in the city of benghazi four to forced his deputy to resign on monday the demonstrators many of whom helped overthrow the previous regime are angered by the slow pace of reform and a lack of transparency in the n.t. sees handling of the country's assets that are case a reporter for the online magazine spiked says the events in libya are not surprising given the fact that the council was not chosen by the people. now i find that very interesting actually because well what i mean the national transitional council itself was very much something that was already chosen by the west not something that was chosen by the libyan people it was very much kind of put in place and then the kind of helicopter did when gadhafi was gotten rid of so the thing that i find very striking here actually is that the only two you see isn't

doing itself any favors and so the pro-democracy campaign is also seeing off the. support is this world of warnings for a long time that this could happen in bani walid people are saying very least two moments we may get of the uprising here and the m.t.c. did nothing about it they were warned now bani walid to apparently been taken so it's not surprising and it does seem like the m.t.c. is impotence and this is reflecting the needs and desires of anyone in libya at the moment there was a lot of congratulates free talk by cameron. gets a bit of a distance but was still involved after the fall of gadhafi i think they're going to be very reluctant to admit that what they didn't do was bring about democracy in the country. a trial date has been set pretty american woman who shipped her adopted russian son to moscow with nothing more than a note saying she didn't want him anymore. torry hansen placed the seven year old on a transatlantic flight to russia all my himself claiming he has psychological problems

hansen is being sued for child support by the world association for children and parents and the trial has been set for march twenty seventh the boy remains in russia where he's receiving professional care at a special children's village the incident sparked outrage and led to new adoption rules between the u.s. and russia. croatia voted sunday in support of a bid for you membership b.s. ballot however wasn't a solid one with more than half of all eligible voters simply ignoring the national referendum the country is now set to become the union's twenty eight states by july next year but only after all of the other members ratify the move croatia was split on the issue with those in opposition saying there is nothing to gain from a bloc currently experiencing its worst ever financial crisis analysts say is going to must focus on reforms to save the country's credit rating and boost the economy before they become a fully pledged member and as artie's tom barton reports the divisions are here to

stay even after the yes vote. seems in the crewing should profit to the countries. that certain. risks to be made behind me the police trying to push the protesters in ways they take for tourist his late sixty's. inclination to talk and pointing has been doing well in the region well now. these are attempts to say the government is trying to suppress the just and. the are joining the way she is dependence to brussels. yes i believe that in another street nearby the foreign minister is trying to convince people that accession is vital to the current economy actually with the stability that scale can lead it

into the credit rating of creation. that is translated into membership of the european union gracious budget would be in serious trouble everywhere you turn in croatia the e.u. is being discussed whereas most of the political class no longer question the europhiles stands public views differ widely should tell you as we come into or see and touch all our fish and that's our biggest threat to. their affiliates though they told us we have to obey the e.u. has regulations those that don't want to obey must stop trading here in memphis even if we have two sons hire an employee and maybe because of that i would be privacy to most of the sim was worth it although you to me worries about sovereignty local industry and economic well being a former state and there are still some voices in parliament think the benefits of what joining it were the case we were not going with our heads high up we're going

in already because our economy. non-existing our exporting is pretty bad our b d t is very low so we don't really have anything to offer you back out on the streets the arguments quality will not continue with ferocity with such strong emotions it seems unlikely this referendum would solve the nation's division and the european membership dumbarton. russia's presidential election is less than fifty days away and the candidates are setting forth their agendas prime minister and contender what they made of putin has published a second major newspaper article this time outlining his plans tonight russia's multi-ethnic society artist peter oliver reports. but talking on multiculturalism a migration vladimir putin praised what he sees is russia's long history as

a multicultural nation a history he says goes back to the days of the russian empire have been some very serious problems though when it comes to migration and integration of migrants in russia that these problems over the last twenty years since the collapse of the soviet union were very serious indeed in our problems that russia is still struggling to to deal with today speaking about what the results can be of migration going wrong he warned of the rise of nationalism the rise of xenophobia these type of issues that we saw acted out in real life eight in moscow in two thousand and ten with ethnic clashes taking place. right next to the kremlin in the heart of the russian capital a hit so to. see nationalism rising hit out at those who have slogans such as stop feeding and stop funding the caucuses saying well the caucuses are a part of russia talking of multiculturalism he said that russia had a very unique system of multiculturalism something very different to say what

happens in europe where he said basically multiculturalism had failed and that russia system was something. very different over to me and said that there's no way that you can completely get rid of all illegal immigration into russia if he's elected president in the elections in march that he hopes to be able to make significant cuts to the amount of people that are arriving in russia illegally now he wants to do this by toughening the laws to try and deter people from entering the country illegally he also wants to see a system put in place not just to monitor foreign immigrants coming into russia but also to monitor internal migrants also by twenty thirty he wants to see an exam put in place to come and settled and live and work in russia but they have to be able to pass the russian language exam also an exam on russian culture russian history so those are the things that he wants to put. to tackle the issue of migration and multiculturalism in russia. the u.s.

often calls for democratic change in the middle east but remains reluctant to recognize the right of. the terminations president of the palestinian national authority mahmoud abbas who's been on a visit to the russian capital talked to r.t. about the latest. statehood our exclusive interview is up next.

visit is the final stop on your european tour. still waiting for a resolution to the statehood issue what do you expect from russia's leadership at this stage when the issue of palestinians legal rights is being decided according to international law. the russian federation as well as the soviet union before it has been regarded as one of the key and principal hopes for the palestinian people since the nine hundred seventy s. when the late palestinian president yasser arafat visited moscow our nations have enjoyed good relations it's not only the result of the role that russia plays in the region but also due to the fact that russia was a great power a member of the united nations security council and a member of the quartet of middle east mediators this is why we focused so much on strengthening our relations and why we expect russia to play a positive or. well recently the quartet took a number of steps calling for negotiations without doubt we coordinate our position

with russia and several other countries to get an understanding of where palestine stands what it should do and what it shouldn't. this is why we visited the u.k. germany and have now come to russia we hope that the talks with israel currently underway in jordan will result in a positive outcome but if they fail we would need to have a list of further steps to be taken and it put it together we want to listen to the opinions of the countries i mentioned earlier and russia in particular. the negotiations are just a way to gain time they say the talking bring about solutions or agreement. that. what stands behind that statement. means they want to preserve the status quo something we completely reject all illegal settlements all illegal buildings must be torn down and removed from

palestinian territories perhaps the israelis have a different vision although in the past they have left their illegal settlements on the sinai peninsula and sharm el sheikh and returned back to their borders we have the same situation in lebanon they'll leave some of the settlements there even with that they want to preserve the existing situation of the palestinian territories and to convince the international community to accept that they want to make us accept this vision but we will never accept it. netanyahu said that he gave you a twenty one point detailing the israeli position by doing so he refused. despite. what the document all about. three times in september two thousand and ten the first time in washington. on an invitation from president obama and the second time in sharm el sheikh the third

time we met was on the twenty fifth of september at his house in jerusalem where we talked for four hours and discussed all the issues yet the talks ended with no positive results no discontinuation of the development of the occupied territories no changes to security policies the israeli way they intend to occupy the west bank and the heights for another forty years. this is colonial policy and colonialist the logic this is not the logic of a person interested in constructive talks and peaceful coexistence with his neighbors i don't refuse to meet but i need to have a good reason now i get twenty one point proposal and what are these twenty one points are they just some headlines or indeed a list of twenty one issues that need to be addressed by our people. today we only need to discuss and solve two issues borders and security why would we want to add more issues to the edge and did he think it was a secret but it's no news and it's not of any practical use either but it is not

appropriate for a prime minister to submit this way a document that simply. borders security the jewish state etc with no clear indication of what is actually expected of the other party. do you think current events in the arab world could strengthen. and help. internationally. still no clear position common to all arab countries yes there are revolutionary changes taking place but it will take time to figure out what results they brought about the countries we want to work with in order to strengthen our position will need time to get back on their feet and build their states under the new conditions however the general arab stance on the palestinian issue has not changed. the people who lead these revolutions are the same people who supported the palestinians in their pursuit of independence and

these people have not changed what has changed is that attitude towards their leaders and their governments but that is their internal matter and we don't get involved the arab stance on the palestinian issue has remained the same. or thank you very much for being with us to the every possible success in the implementation of political reform and creation of a palestinian state. this

is the. ultimate. on. the official anti allocation. i pod touch from the. six video. smiling old costs and r.s.s.

feeds now in the palm of your. question. the bootleg. i've. explained.

it. was. well and thanks for being with us that have passed the hour here's a quick recap of your headlines syria rejects arab league proposals for president to cede power to his deputy and the formation of a national human unity government with the opposition to mask is called the initiative an interference in its internal affairs and an attack on syria's sovereignty. the e.u. slaps more sanctions on iran targeting the country's main source of income for oil the union has reiterated that the move is negotiable provide the tapper on

a halt its nuclear program which the west sees as a threat and return to the negotiating table. and croatia says yes to e.u. membership but the portrait for a referendum and violent protests expose deep divisions within the balkan nation the country is now set to become the union's twentieth state by july next year but only after all the other members ratify the move. coming out party talks to one of europe's most prominent economists former advisor to the russian government in the one nine hundred ninety s. and there's also about what we can expect from the upcoming world economic forum in davos spotlight is the next.