BBC news 2011-04-11 加文本

BBC news 2011-04-11

BBC News with Jonathan Wheatley

The South African President Jacob Zuma says Colonel Gaddafi’s government has accepted an African Union peace plan to end the fighting in Libya. President Zuma and three other African leaders representing the AU met Colonel Gaddafi in Tripoli to broker a ceasefire. Speaking to the BBC, Noureddine Mezni, who is spokesman for the chairman of the African Union, confirmed the AU roadmap had been accepted by the Libyan ruler.

‘Our first priority is to obtain a ceasefire, an immediate ceasefire, in order to start a dialogue. And we have a roadmap which was already submitted to the Libyan authorities a couple of weeks ago. It was accepted in full. And tomorrow in Benghazi we will have the first contact with the Benghazi group, the International Council, to discuss with them our roadmap.’

While the British-based representative of the Libyan opposition leadership Guma al-Gamaty has just told the BBC that they would look carefully at the AU plan, but that any deal designed to keep Colonel Gaddafi or his sons in place would not be acceptable.

The Egyptian authorities has summoned former President Hosni Mubarak for questioning and jailed his former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif over alleged misuse of public funds. Public prosecutors also want to question Mr Mubarak’s two sons, Alaa and Gamal. Mr Mubarak rejected accusations that he had amassed wealth illegally during his 30 years as president and he promised to cooperate with the authorities to clear his family’s name.

‘I agree to give any undertakings or signatures in writing that could enable the Egyptian public prosecutor to request the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to contact foreign ministries around the world to communicate to them my approval to reveal any bank accounts we may have abroad since I assumed public office. This would enable the Egyptian people to ascertain that their former president has in Egypt all the bank accounts in one Egyptian bank.’

United Nations and French helicopters in Ivory Coast have attacked forces and installations controlled by Laurent Gbagbo who is refusing to step down after last year’s presidential election. A UN spokesman said the air strikes were aimed at destroying Mr Gbagbo’s heavy weaponry which had earlier been used to assault the UN headquarters in Abidjan. From Abidjan here is Mark Doyle.

Two United Nations and at least six French helicopter gunships were involved in the attacks. Eyewitnesses said they hit the presidential palace and in a different part of the city, the presidential residence, where the United Nations says Mr Gbagbo is living in an underground bunker. The United Nations has clearly taken sides in this war between a man who won a United Nations certified election and a man who refuses to accept that he lost.

Mark Doyle

World News from the BBC

Reports from Syria say gunmen have opened fire on crowds of anti-government demonstrators in the port city of Baniyas, killing four people. Several others were wounded. The demonstrations are the latest challenge to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, whose recent promise to introduce reforms has failed to stop protests.

The Gulf Arab states have set out details of a plan under which they want President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen to hand over power after more than 30 years in office. They say he should transfer power to his vice president. At the same time the president and his family would be given guarantees of protection and a transitional government of national unity would be formed. From Sana’a, here is our correspondent, who we are not naming for her own safety.

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters in Yemen will be disappointed by the statement. While it calls on Ali Abdullah Saleh to hand over power to his vice president, it does not demand his resignation. Such a handover would strip Mr Saleh of most of his power, but it could still keep him in office while the opposition-led transitional government prepares for the new election. This statement is also much softer than the initial Arab proposal which called for Mr Saleh to resign.

Exit polls in the presidential election in Peru suggest the former army officer Ollanta Humala has won the first round, but has fallen short of an outright victory. It’s not yet clear who will join him in the second and final round scheduled for 5 June.

The head of public security in the Mexican state of Morelos has been removed from his post following the murder two weeks ago of seven young people. The killings prompted Javier Sicilia, the father of one of the victims, to call for mass protests, which were attended by tens of thousands of Mexicans nationwide. Mr Sicilia blamed Mexican politicians as well as criminal gangs for the killings and he has demanded a thorough investigation.

BBC News