have gathered here to evaluate the actual threat to nuclear nonproliferation trying to name the regions of the countries where such threats may be coming they also discussed such issues as the possibility of a compromise between russia and the west on such issues for example as the a.b.m. system deployment these are the subjects that we will talk about today with the president of the international forum which is. the nuclear nonproliferation treaty was signed over half a century but nuclear weapons are still a huge issue since then if you knew states claimed they had obtained atomic bombs including the isolated and unpredictable north korea terrorists who can get access to nukes are great concern to especially nuclear ambitions unstable middle east regimes in an effort to unite the world's leading nonproliferation and security

experts in the luxembourg forum was created it's the most important result of the international conference on preventing nuclear catastrophe which was held in luxembourg in two thousand and seven since the very beginning the renowned businessman and philanthropist dr counter has been the forum's president. hello mr kantor and welcome to our program flow start with a couple of general questions first of all this time it's berlin but how do you choose the location is called the luxembourg forum because it started in luxembourg but how do you choose a venue. in this case it's quite obvious. there has been a change in leadership. which makes berlin a logical choice. so we did. with

france and italy and some other important to european nations having new leadership when germany's role in preventing a nuclear disaster he's bound to increase. them. so we thought he would be wise to attract to the attention of the international community to all forum by holding it in berlin. as far as i understand your sponsoring the forum with your own money at your own initiative could be also try to raise money otherwise and overall is it worth the money you're spending so like a. little fortune well to be precise this isn't my money or rather it's not just my money. the funding for the form comes from the european council tolerance in eureka. were i am merely

a coach. another cochairman former polish president alexander it cost me of. that he's the sponsor. for the reason and dome and he's registered in luxembourg that that raises funds for all the operations and activities of that organization and then i will rephrase my question as co-chairs you and mr quest the esky have to report to the endowment in its trustees about how that money is used there must have been considerable sums committed in the past five years is it it worth. fluent beyond any doubt we are happy with the luxembourg forum was held at fourteen reading so over the past five years hosted by practically every major capital in the world were crucial decisions are made of the. washington moscow london paris

and now we've made it to berlin. so you're saying the form is worth its salt and the same time here is your recent quote the world has become much more tense and much more unsafe than it was a year ago even closer to breaking point in global security what makes you say that would you consider yourself a pessimist or a just well informed. you might well. know it's a let me put it blaine in simple. where do you challengers to global security come from in the context of. two nations iran and north korea. so you do believe that iran's nuclear program is really dangerous for its neighbors and the world in general.

well the way that i think well let's take a look at the facts of when you were on the ship but today you are in his own most of the six thousand centrifuges that operate around the clock. and that number is increasing. here in has about six times three point five percent loan reached uranium. in addition it has about a hundred and seventy kilograms of uranium in a reach to twenty percent. what does this mean. that iran is already in position of enough uranium to produce seven or eight warheads. these are the facts that now there is another interesting consideration. the i.e. has been asking iran why do you need military technology is. why do you need the so-called nuclear explosive devices. and actually many other

components that are of no use for anything except for the production of nuclear weapons that the energy i.e. he's getting no answers we're not talking about our expert community a big key authority in this area that is not getting the answers. let them do it are you voicing the opinion of the luxembourg forum certainly as far as i can see is rather in line with the stance of the west than with that of moscow because as far as i understand it he is the least correct me if i'm wrong if these positions differ somewhat to the west generally has a sharper response less progress got to the point of discussing is strikes against iran's nuclear facilities or is moscow keeps saying it doesn't see a thread this is a peaceful program in iran has the rights to develop seemingly in nuclear facilities. just that you know we are now entering an area that isn't sectarian

portland. area is why do we need a toll such civil society institutions as an export community would not you know we are often accused or rather these are not actual accusations there are other simply point out of things as they are they say you will ahead of the time. you are probably saying all the right things but they are not well timed they're out of the political and economic context and by that context you mean elections currency rates oil prices and so on anything real. and our response to this is that's exactly why. our job is to be ahead of the time would it be for a political decision going to be prepared in implemented we must be with the way forward for all the major players and for all the countries involved in this situation surely knew that. if you as experts don't get hurt

do you think it can come to a use of force i mean is the u.s. or israel strike at iran's alleged nuclear facilities a possibility it then you will possibility. has taught us that anything's possible no yell but i see this is the worst scenario one could imagine but it's. the luxembourg forums experts have published a study assessing the existing options for an intervention and there is simply no successful scenario some better some a worse yet but there is no winning option at all but i think there is generally nor alternative to diplomacy and political more gaining but this does not mean we should turn a blind eye on iran's failure to comply. those who ignore the requirements of the un security council in the i e must be are full responsibility for it. with the international law. that is with the role and un security council

resolutions. that this a counter in a previous interview for our program you described a look some work for him as the voice of civil society on the issues of nonproliferation. this one has remained but i'm still unclear as to who your target audience is whom are you addressing in the first place is it public opinion is it grassroots initiative is it political decision makers or is what you do a form of lobbying and. when no alexander. i can tell you the expert community doesn't lobby anyone's interests like i said we pave the way to the future who we dress everyone we send our reports to decision makers in all the leading powers over the world and to all official international

institutions and n.g.o.s board it on top of that but even if you look at today's session it he will find our colleagues from similar initiatives such as the poland wash conferences among the staff of the luxembourg for. what they publish people are really lobbyist and they know. they aren't i don't know only publish conferences for thirty years i can consider them lobbyists there are scientists and their staff in philosophy day is different from ours actually. let me rephrase the question then he want to address this to a nice we have to convince them that. if you want to talk to the public you have to be peeling to the public what is your target audience do you seek to puta the every citizen in get your ideas across or do you aim to influence decision makers because

that would require a different tool set that. i would see or emus you present solid facts. we are not a populist organization. then the fuck do you think that modern society his trust in facts these days because nice a dozen people believe in ideology and myths but the time when people used to listen to scientists is over or so they say because if you got it i would see that people today believe in things that haven't been trivialized if you will. with what if you were to come up with a formula for getting your message across aren't seeing that you definitely need to see unexpected things. well know that is that we i would look at and you also said the nuclear issue is getting trivialized today so are you concerned with that. yes

to answer your question we don't engage in populism when you say we don't want to be everyone's darling chairs much public attention as possible our purpose is to present an objective outlook at the situation for anyone entitle to make assessments make decisions for those who want to really make such a decision today that will be an issue for future deliberation. says counter president i'll be there if the luxembourg forum on preventing nucleic attacked spotlight will be back shortly after a break so stay with us. you got a story are out about this crazy lady with

a convertible that. every time he. has these people. it is necessary to punish everything we do. but it needs to be done nobody wants to be. but the historical. of the american death penalty today in large part from the nazis and the. state of texas gets their way and they execute. the house. and he keeps telling me they can't hear me and they are.

i won't be there i will not witness the killing myself. the official tea allocation. i pod touch from the dumpster. on the. video on demand. an r.s.s. feed now in the palm of your. welcome back to spotlight i am al gore and all that and just a reminder that my guest on the show today is the just left come to president of the luxembourg forum on preventing nuclear catastrophe. some of the world renowned

experts in nuclear prevention get that then luxembourg five years ago out of that meeting and non-governmental organization emerged the international luxembourg forum on preventing nuclear catastrophe since done it has become quite an influential body on the issues of international security with members seen feedback on the highest level even to prod some government to. voice many all of the piece of been on the form from time to time involved to advise those consultants to governments so that it was a very important contribution to celebrate the form's five years long nonproliferation effort the fledgling organization chose to join one capital early this the city which knows best to what extremes can a question of why do you all which is lead the berlin wall is one of the most vivid

symbols of intolerance twenty of the wall fell throwing has become place to build bridges between civilizations and to. talk peace building bridges between civilizations is what the luxemburg forms big manifesto always all about it's in fact a scientific research go in this forest trying to measure tolerance and it's an attempt to find an alternative to two concepts which are not working one is handing down steer iovine its ability of a clash of civilizations in the other is multiculturalism in this book we've come up with a new approach we call security tolerance with. the luxembourg forums president reach a slough cantor is sure the manifesto has announcer of how to cope with some of the worst threats of the modern world including nuclear terrorism some other participants of the organization of a very simple reasons to put weapons aside at a time when we have

a great recession taking place in the global economy it is very important for us to ponder as to why we should continue to spend one hundred billion u.s. dollars on the nuclear weapon programs of all the countries that have nuclear weapons with the instability in such places as iran north korea and pakistan the international luxemburg forum on preventing nuclear catastrophe feels it one be short of challenges in the near future it's only just past the credibility test on the international arena and it's no ready to try and do more for a new threat meter geisha and. there isn't the issue of pakistan which is a nuclear power and even roll their missiles for military parades i seen it myself at the same time there is a very strong islamic fundamentalist sentiment in that country many believe pakistan is highly dangerous as a place for fundamentalism and nuclear capabilities come together because we say

let's not forget that pakistan is practically in a state of war with india who is also a nuclear power. certainly up with but your question is correct the city of southeast asia is another east factor which next to iran and north korea which why but. first of all unlike iran and north korea india and pakistan already possess nuclear weapons you know they've got a total of three hundred in six to me so with potential global reach and a hundred of them can be armed with nuclear warheads. what does this imply considering that the pakistani government probably has limited control over its own territory. student and how does it feel your pain in pakistan's perpetual conflict with india which you have just referred to know.

what it spells is it permanent of the risk factor. if i can even tell you that the deficiency of governance in pakistan has created a risk of nuclear weapons being commercialised in that country. really look like yes of course i knew of course and i just quoted cuts them every time there is a change of government that they just think of moving retarded generals with access to the nuclear or armory me want to get a good bargain for it it's like you know i don't want to speculate but we've already witnessed black market for nuclear materials emerge in pakistan patronized by dr abdul han. who can guarantee you such a market will not remarriage. you know.

this country had a someone bin laden set up his headquarters in pakistan exactly well with that unfortunately all of this has weakened and the american influence over to pakistan's leader ship. instead you put pakistan third to iran in the north korea you see as more threatening is that because of the regime they have plenty of control in that country deal of what you see the north korean regime is certainly more aggressive than pakistan. at the same time and should be noted that north korea currently has forty two kilos of weapon grade plutonium that they used different technology that you said when reaching uranium they have a single facility where they enrich tony i'm the new iran there is a more advanced technology but they're stuck with what i'm grade plutonium would be enough to produce seven two or eight warheads similarly to iran's capabilities.

they were already got a delivery vehicle to do that that is why north korea generally poses a serious threat. but unlike here in north korea does to spierer to dominate its entire region. its regime is not using the nuclear issue to hansard stand any public domestically it's already strengthened to the extreme you know i would say north korea does not essentially pose a nuclear threat to its neighbors and the promising thing about pyongyang is that it is a client to commercialize its nuclear control over some i think but not in the sense of nuclear trafficking about it with them yet. they simply need money. they need money in their willing trade war game offering transparency. you exchanged economic benefits. such was the trend with the previous leader of the bill in its.

current leader. i've been watching your form for many years the iranians have been telling everyone we are a peaceful nation we're developing nuclear capabilities and purposes for the sake of national development we're not turning anyone in we can prove it and you've just said the koreans are ready to actually bargain and make a compromise then why aren't they attending your conference they're not interested in talking to you. you know we always invite all the players story meetings. so why don't they show up at us well for a variety of reasons. for example i remember air rather telling incident which happened during the very first forum which took place in luxembourg we invited to prominent nuclear are experts. and then that person got detained by national

authorities and was released only after the form was over that suggests it's the government not the experts who is reluctant well the government must have taken our form for a threat or if. there is another thing ever noticed about the form of the iranian nuclear controversy and that in north korea are issues of star contention between russia and nato including the united states but i don't sense that from your forums discussion as well could we say that russian and western experts in metairie officials share a common outlook at this issue that. they sensually do why. i would put it this way in every single meeting of the forum that i reserve common understanding of a fundamental. which probably overlooked by the general public. leaving aside old the details of. the.

nuclear safety and start moving much toward the universal disarmament. there is just one prerequisite. ginning that confidence and understanding between the world's two means your nuclear powers russia in the united states the experts are aware of that that's the bottom the moment if there was absolute confidence between russia and the united states the world. could have been a bell to get down to practical measures for arms reduction a long time ago in would have done nothing to debate it because both mr portnoy in his first presidential turn and then use presidents george w. bush have declared by the cold war over and said we are strategic partners not i think you just keep what you are what we're of the practical steps to back this up

previously so i'd like to laugh a size thirty if only i'd there was genuine confidence backed by practical measures their world would be in a much safer place. but that's why the we is that sports should be the way. listen thank you thank you thank you very much for being with us get on this show and just to remind you of that and i guess they it's count and that's it for now from all of us here spotlight will be back with more comments on a lot of the light on and outside pressure until then stay on and take care.

well. science technology innovation all the developments around russia we've got the future covered.

u.n. observers reach the side of the latest massacre in syria but struggle to make sense of what happened while international efforts to solve the conflict are stepped up with russia taking a lead. a new lawn tougher fines for protestors violating public order comes into force today russia after a lengthy parliamentary debate demonstrators could face being out of pocket by seven thousand euros or having to do community service for breaking the rules. after being blacklisted by the baltic states police as so-called threats to national security parties reporter investigates what's really behind the motion. this is r.t. coming to you live from moscow i'm marina joshie u.n.

observers in syria say they can't confirm the details of the latest massacre in the country the monitors have investigated the scene of the killing but are unable to determine how many died or who is to blame several bomb blasts and gun battles have since erupted across syria and in the capital damascus where our correspondent now reports. damascus last night has been hit by war some have been described as the heaviest fighting between the rebels the opposition the armed opposition and the governmental forces we've been deed been hearing sounds of explosions and how we shall ngs and separate shootings for several hours nonstop and as it's become normal for the syrian conflict we've been hearing conflicting reports on exactly what happened and why this occurred the london based syrian observatory for human rights have been saying that the rebels before it all started it organized a really huge anti government rally and then attacked one of the checkpoints of this hearing on.