Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC 20240703 : comparemela.com

Almost 300 people have been admitted to hospitals, with dozens in a critical condition. The blast, the cause of which is not known, came as thousands of Ethnic Armenians flee the contested enclave after it was seized by azerbaijan last week. Armenia says more than 13,000 people, or about 10 of the territorys population, have crossed the border, fearing persecution and Ethnic Cleansing. Envoys from armenia and azerbaijan are in brussels for eu backed talks. Its the first such meeting between the countries since azerbaijan seized the enclave. Nagorno karabakh is at the heart of one of the worlds longest running territorial and ethnic conflicts. Its recognised internationally as part of azerbaijan, but has been controlled by Ethnic Armenians for three decades. 0ur reporter 0lga ivshina is in baku, and she sent us this. Thousands and thousands of Karabakh Armenians are still trying to cross into armenia on what turns out to be another dramatic day of this conflict. Yesterday, there was an explosion in stepanakert, and the news are coming that at least 200 people were injured and 20 dead. Officials in baku are saying that they have sent a car with emergency medical supplies to stepanakert, but its currently unclear whether that help was accepted by the other side. Today when we see the dramatic pictures of people leaving everything behind and crossing into armenia, many here remember very similar pictures which we were able to see 30 years ago. Back then, thousands and thousands of azeris had to leave everything behind and leave karabakh at a very short notice. That doesnt make todays tragedy any less, grief any less, but itjust reminds us how long and painful this conflict has been. It is still unclear how many people are trapped within stepanakert, but we are in constant communication with some of them, they say the situation is critical. Azerbaijan continues to say that they are ready to provide help, they are ready to provide Security Guarantees for all civilians in Nagorno Karabakh, however, there is very little mutual trust and armenians prefer to leave everything behind rather than to stay under azeri rule. Live now to politico reporter Gabriel Gavin whos been working working on this. So im standing between the border between armenia and azerbaijan. That way lies the mountains of karabakh. This way, Tens Of Thousands of armenians, refugees, lie safely inside armenia. Ive been at this bodice on sunday. Weve spoken to dozens of people. They packed up everything they have come everything they own, whatever they can carry and loaded onto cars, buses, trucks and loaded onto cars, buses, trucks and set course for this exact border. They have been received by the icrc and Emergency Aid Pointy and the local staff tell me that the situation is very tense given a far greater influx of people than was originally expected. The traffic just keeps moving and moving and moving. Meanwhile commanding Phone Interviews of people in that the de facto capital of Nagorno Karabakh and they tell me that not a Single Person they know wants to stay and believe that they will be safe if azerbaijan takes control of the territory. As abidjan, meanwhile, sorry, go on. Territory. As abidan, meanwhile, sorry. Go on. Territory. As abidan, meanwhile, sorry, go on. Was ust going to say with aaivin sorry, go on. Wasjust going to say with giving interviews sorry, go on. Wasjust going to say with giving interviews on sorry, go on. Wasjust going to say with giving interviews on the sorry, go on. Wasjust going to say with giving interviews on the bbc. With giving interviews on the bbc from as abidjan mps talking about how theyre going to guarantee people safety, they dont know why they are leaving, they dismiss any suggestion of Ethnic Cleansing and yet when we talk to people like you, talking to people who have fled, they tell you they just talking to people who have fled, they tell you theyjust dont talking to people who have fled, they tell you they just dont feel safe . I they tell you they ust dont feel safe . ,. , ~ they tell you they ust dont feel safe . ,. , 4. , they tell you they ust dont feel safe . ,. , ~. ,. , they tell you they ust dont feel safe . ,. ,. , safe . I spoke to the Foreign Policy Chief Yesterday safe . I spoke to the Foreign Policy Chief Yesterday and safe . I spoke to the Foreign Policy Chief Yesterday and he safe . I spoke to the Foreign Policy Chief Yesterday and he says safe . I spoke to the Foreign Policy Chief Yesterday and he says they l Chief Yesterday and he says they stand ready to guarantee the rights in Nagorno Karabakh but it is nine months this vote has been effectively closed to supplies of food and fuel. People have gone through periods of severe shortages. People feel like they have been starved effectively for the best part of nine months, and, at the same time, on tuesday last week, we could go today, azerbaijan launched a Lightning Military Offensive to take back the territory. And as a result, the people i speak to say they simply cannot countenance believing in theirs pledges for support. Believing in theirs pledges for su ort. �. , believing in theirs pledges for suort. �. , believing in theirs pledges for suort. , support. And what is your assessment of any possible support. And what is your assessment of any possible meaningful support. And what is your assessment of any possible meaningful mediation | of any possible meaningful Mediation Talks or these talks having a successful outcome . Talks or these talks having a successful outcome . Well, it is ressure successful outcome . Well, it is pressure combined successful outcome . Well, it is pressure combined with successful outcome . Well, it is pressure combined with azerbaijans agreement to allow dozens of trucks of russian peacekeepers driven aid as well as the icrc through to the region to allow armenians to leave the region without any serious barriers as well as allowing an unprecedented medical evacuation by helicopter of the people, hundreds of people, we are hearing, injured as a result of the fuel depot blast overnight. So there is a positive development in terms of access for Aid Organisations and people are at least able to leave but i think the middle large in the minds of policymakers and world leaders, as the Armenian Security central meet in brussels today, whether it will be possible to stop this flow and ensure people can stay safe and stay in their homes and avoid a potential Military Conflict between these two countries which fought a series of Military Conflicts in the past two decades. Id like to make and be able to answer this but where are all these people, arriving where you are are they being sent to . Initially they were sent to the first stop on this road from azerbaijan. And hotels are booked up, people had been moved into a theatre that has been converted as an emergency shelter. And, as a result, that filled up very quickly because there as i say, now, an estimated 13,000 people have left already. So the armenian government and humanitarian organisations are now racing to find places to put people but it is notjust the challenge of beating the short term accidents and putting people in temporary accommodation. People need houses. Everyone i speak to things they want to be able to return home. People need long term housing, they will need schools for their kids, they will need Mental Health support after having come through nine months that people here tell me felt like going through hell. Like going through hell. Thank you so much for like going through hell. Thank you so much for taking like going through hell. Thank you so much for taking the like going through hell. Thank you so much for taking the time like going through hell. Thank you so much for taking the time to like going through hell. Thank you | so much for taking the time to talk to us. I do appreciate it. A reporterjoining us from the azerbaijan armenia border. The uk Home Secretary Suella Braverman will today call for major changes to International Rules on refugees, arguing � simply being gay or a woman� should not be enough to qualify for protection. In a speech to a right wing think tank in washington, she is expected to say that the United Nations refugee convention, drawn up after the second world war, is no longer fit for the modern age. Live now to our offices In Westminster where were joined by our chief political correpsondent henry zeffman. And this is very likely to spark debate, isnt it . About asylum rules. A particularly what she has been saying about those fearing what she calls discrimination for being gay or be on the women should not qualify for protection. You make your absolutely right it is going to spark a debate and i think the debate that wants to have is an International Debate. A debate about the un refugee convention, sent to the un refugee convention, sent to the definition of who does or does not qualify as a refugee which has beenin not qualify as a refugee which has been in place since 1951. Been in place since 1951. Now, obviously. Been in place since 1951. Now, obviously, 1951, been in place since 1951. Now, obviously, 1951, that been in place since 1951. Now, obviously, 1951, that was been in place since 1951. Now, i obviously, 1951, that was written been in place since 1951. Now, obviously, 1951, that was written in the aftermath of the second world war. Initially, it was about displaced people in europe they are now many countries, all over the world, are signed up to this convention. So there is that International Debate that Suella Braverman and the government are clearly eager to start but there is also, i think, clearly eager to start but there is also, ithink, going clearly eager to start but there is also, i think, going to be a ferocious domestic debate because of course, the issue illegal immigration, asylum seekers, small boats crossing the channel is a big issue in the uk. We already have the labour party accusing Suella Braverman of grandstanding about because you cannot fix what they call the chaos at home and i think thatis call the chaos at home and i think that is One Direction the debate is going to move on. Going to move on. Migration is an issue for a going to move on. Migration is an issue for a lot going to move on. Migration is an issue for a lot of going to move on. Migration is an issue for a lot of countries going to move on. Migration is an issue for a lot of countries and. Issue for a lot of countries and america, of course, has the issue with the mexico border and this is a right wing think tank that she is addressing here, isnt it . The American Enterprise institute. I do expect it to be received, the speech, in the us . Expect it to be received, the speech, in the us . Expect it to be received, the seech, in the us . ~. , speech, in the us . Well, though, she is addressing speech, in the us . Well, though, she is addressing a speech, in the us . Well, though, she is addressing a think speech, in the us . Well, though, she is addressing a think tank speech, in the us . Well, though, she is addressing a think tank you speech, in the us . Well, though, she is addressing a think tank you have i is addressing a think tank you have invited her and are of a relatively similar political persuasion that they having worked in the us im always wary about reading a cross between uk and us politics because fundamentally the issues that they face are just pretty different. The institutional context, the political context and so on. But, that, i am sure it will be warmly received and Suella Braverman will have an eye on both audiences. She wanted to be warmly received in the room, and america, of course. It also, here in the uk, her speech, america, of course. It also, here in the uk, herspeech, before america, of course. It also, here in the uk, her speech, before shes even given it is on the front page of the daily mail, the daily telegraph, getting wide coverage. And for Home Secretary who shown that her ambitions dont end there, having previously run for the conservative leadership, i think that its important thing. Because, as it stands, we are expecting a general election here in the uk next year. It is possible the conservatives will lose and be in search of a new leader after that and Suella Braverman, i am sure, will be a candidate. And Suella Braverman, i am sure, will be a candidate. Thank you. That seech will be a candidate. Thank you. That Speech Taking will be a candidate. Thank you. That Speech Taking place will be a candidate. Thank you. That Speech Taking place at will be a candidate. Thank you. That Speech Taking place at around will be a candidate. Thank you. That i Speech Taking place at around 3 30pm uk time. A Court In Moscow is hearing an appeal by russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny against his 19 yearJail Sentence. These are pictures from the courthouse in moscow. Last month, his prison term was extended from nine years, after he was found guilty of inciting and financing extremist activity and creating an extremist group, charges he denied. He was already serving a sentence for fraud and contempt of court, in a case which many see as politically motivated. Live now to bbc russian correspondent Sergei Goryashko i will be expecting navalny to appear via video link . He should a ear in appear via video link . He should appear in court appear via video link . He should appear in court via appear via video link . He should appear in court via video appear via video link . He should appear in court via video link appear via video link . He should appear in court via video link in i appear in court via video link in minutes and today, the court will decide whether he can appeal his 19 yearjail decide whether he can appeal his 19 year Jail Sentence decide whether he can appeal his 19 yearJail Sentence and navalnyjust days ago has emplaced the 20th time in Solitary Confinement and is held in Solitary Confinement and is held in a solitary cell in this Super Max Facility in russia. And Alexei Navalny supporters dont recognise those charges. They claim that Alexei Navalny, all these cases about Alexei Navalny conducting Political Activities in russia, but all these criminal cases have been presented as financing and creating and running an extreme society in the country. And running an extreme society in the country and running an extreme society in the count. ,. , the country. Suggest, also, can you tell is a bit the country. Suggest, also, can you tell is a bit more the country. Suggest, also, can you tell is a bit more about the country. Suggest, also, can you tell is a bit more about the tell is a bit more about the conditions in which Alexei Navalny has been held . Because his supporters have been talking about how he has been in Solitary Confinement for Something Like 20 times, they have said, havent they . Yes. His penal colony and his Jail Sentence, 19 years, this Special Regime Penal Colony means he is held in the harsh conditions and several hours spent outside in the prison yard and, most of the time, the prisoner spends in the cell. But Alexei Navalny has also been placed multiple times and now 20 times, he has been placed in this special punitive confinement for different things, yeah. Punitive confinement for different things. Yeah punitive confinement for different thins, eah. ,. Things, yeah. Ok, thanks very much. We will come things, yeah. Ok, thanks very much. We will come back things, yeah. Ok, thanks very much. We will come back to things, yeah. Ok, thanks very much. We will come back to a things, yeah. Ok, thanks very much. We will come back to a little things, yeah. Ok, thanks very much. We