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‘No military solution’ in Syria, admit people on both sides of war
EDITOR'S NOTE: Amanpour's full interview with Brahimi can be seen here.
By Mick Krever, CNN
People on both sides of Syria’s civil war now agree that there is no military solution to the conflict, Lakhdar Brahimi, U.N. special envoy for Syria, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday.
“Some time ago, both sides were absolutely certain that they are winning,” Brahimi said. Now, “individuals on each side tell me that there is no military solution.”
The U.N. announced on Monday that new Syria peace talks would be held in Geneva, Switzerland, in January, but the full list of attendees is still unknown.
One of the more contentious invitees is Iran, which has said that if invited it would “participate without any preconditions.”
Medical ethicist blasts 'medicalized killing'
Belgium's lawmakers are debating a bill which would extend the "right to die" to those under the age of 18 who are terminally-ill and in intolerable physical pain. The bill cleared a senate committee vote on Wednesday; it must clear several other hurdles before becoming law.
“It’s very clear,” Law Professor Robert George tells Amanpour. “We should avoid medicalized killing at all costs. Doctors should not be in the business of killing.”
Click above to see Amanpour's interview with George.
Belgian parliamentarian backs child euthanasia law
Belgium's lawmakers are debating a bill which would extend the "right to die" to those under the age of 18 who are terminally-ill and in intolerable physical pain. The bill cleared a senate committee vote on Wednesday; it must clear several other hurdles before becoming law.
Click above to see Christiane Amanpour's interview with Jean-Jacques De Gucht, a member of Belgium's parliament who backs the law.
Parents plead to be able to help terminally-ill children die
By Diana Magnay, CNN
Brussels, Belgium (CNN) - As little Ella-Louise faded away, her tiny, frail body wracked with pain, her heartbroken mother was left to look on, feeling powerless.
Linda van Roy says she could do nothing to help her terminally ill baby in the last hours of her life.
"In that period they tell you it's best not to give any fluids because babies survive on little drops of liquid," she says. "So we stopped feeding her. In the end it was bones and skin and no more baby left."
Ten-month-old Ella-Louise died two years ago after suffering from Krabbe disease - a rare and terminal genetic mutation which damages the nervous system.
FULL INTERVIEW: Lakhdar Brahimi
Above is Christiane Amanpour's full interview with Lakhdar Brahimi, U.N.-Arab League Joint Special Envoy to Syria.
Syrian-American doctor, fighting polio and war wounds, describes former classmate: Bashar al-Assad
By Mick Krever, CNN
A Syrian-American doctor who spoke with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour about the difficulties of providing medical care in that war-torn country and the outbreak of polio, also described what it was like to attend medical school with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – a former classmate.
There’s always a “different side” of dictators, Dr. Zaher Sahloul said on Tuesday.
“When he was in medical school, he was a humble person. He was accessible.”
“I had a couple of meetings with him after he became a president,” Dr. Sahloul said. “He was very humble, and he mentioned one time that he preferred to be a physician.”
Russia: Don’t make ‘mistake’ of excluding Iran from Syria peace talks
By Mick Krever, CNN
Russia warned on Tuesday that the U.S. and international community should not make the mistake of excluding Iran from upcoming Syria peace talks.
“Whether Iran is in the room or not … it’s going to be a player in Syria,” Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “So it’s better to have it in the room.”
The other option, he said, is to “alienate Iran once again.”
“That mistake has been made a number of times before,” he said. “Let’s not repeat it.”
Meanwhile, Iran, the United States, Russia, and four other world powers reached an interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear program this past weekend. Negotiators hope that the deal will lead to a permanent, comprehensive accord.
Syrian people caught up in new struggle – against polio
The people caught up in Syria’s grinding war are witnessing a frantic new struggle – against disease. A mass vaccination program on all sides of the front lines is trying to control the deadly outbreak of polio.
CNN’s Fred Pleitgen reports from Damascus.
Karzai pursuing ‘personal interests’ in postponing security deal, former Afghan FM and presidential candidate says
By Mick Krever, CNN
Afghan President Hamid Karzai decided suddenly this weekend not to sign an agreement to keep international troops in his country after their scheduled pull out next year.
His move, former Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Monday, was the result of a desire to force the selection of a hand-picked successor in presidential elections next April. Abdullah is himself a candidate in that campaign.
“These negotiations between Afghanistan and the United States are being delayed not because of the content of the bilateral security agreement,” Abdullah said, “but primarily because of the personal feelings or personal interests of President Karzai.”
For many in Tehran, lead Iran negotiator is ‘only hope’
By Mick Krever, CNN
Residents of Tehran were ecstatic this weekend when Iran and world powers struck a nuclear deal, New York Times Tehran Bureau Chief Thomas Erdbrink told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Monday.
“These people have been living under incredible pressures over the last years,” Erdbrink said. “They had to face sanctions, high unemployment, high inflation, and basically they have grown so accustomed to hearing only horrible news that this is the first time in almost a decade that they’re hearing something positive.”
That elation, though, had died down a bit by Monday.
“People today were a bit more subdued,” he said, “and they were telling me, ‘Sure, we made this deal and we are happy, but we’ve been tricked so many times. Maybe this time we’ll be tricked again.’”
Really, he said, they are just anxious for change.
“One young man came up to me and he told me, ‘Thomas, I am now 30 years old. When Ahmadinejad came to power I was 22. Why were those eight years of my life wasted? Why am I still without a job? Why do I hold a university degree but don’t have a future in this country?’”
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