Annapolis Middle East talks

Sir David Frost

Every week, Sir David Frost, one of the most celebrated broadcasters, offers you a programme which takes its stories and guests from every part of the globe.

 

The world’s news makers will be interviewed with Sir David’s incisive style.

 

Sir David will get behind the headlines and examine the decisions and policies which shape global politics today.

 

 

Coming up this week on Frost over the World:

Annapolis talks

Ron Prosor talks to Sir David Frost

This week several Arab leaders met with Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, in the US.

In this episode of Frost over the World, Sir David is joined by Ron Prosor, the Israeli ambassador to the UK, and Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, who offer their opposing views on the meeting.

Prosor stresses the significance of the presence of several Arab leaders, suggesting that they are for the first time playing a supporting role in the quest for peace.

Fawzi Barhoum gives Hamas’ view of the Annapolis talks

In contrast, Barhoum maintains that the involvement of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt is simply a case of Arab countries using the Palestinian issue as a bridge to normalise relations with the US.

Prosor says the most important feature of the Annapolis talks was that both sides managed to lower expectations and that those who want compromise and co-existence must be supported while those who seek to de-rail the process should be isolated.

Barhoum discusses why Hamas was opposed to the meeting and what Hamas would consider to be an acceptable peace.

Watch this part of Frost over the World on YouTube

Pakistan

Maria Kuusisto from the Eurasia group

It has been another turbulent week in Pakistan as General Musharraf became Mr Musharraf and promised that elections will take place in January “come hell or high water”. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s president, also revealed that emergency rule will end on December 16.

Maria Kuusisto from the Eurasia group joins the show to discuss where Pakistan stands now and to reflect upon the unfolding events in the country.

Kuusisto discusses whether the new army chief will exercise his power independently, considers the possible election alliances that may emerge and looks at the role of the US in Pakistan and whether it has recently taken a step back.

Watch this part of Frost over the World on YouTube

Genesis

Mark Rutherford and Tony Banks from Genesis

This year marks the 40th birthday of Genesis, a band that started in an English public school and went on to sell more than 150 million albums worldwide.

The band have just completed a 12 country reunion tour, released a new album and published a book.

Two of the band’s founding members – Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks – join the show to discuss the secrets of their success and to reflect upon how it all started.

They reveal how their recent tour, as well as working on their book, made them realise how close they were and they talk about the band’s front men – Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins.

Watch this part of Frost over the World on YouTube

Jose Miguel Vivanco from Human Rights Watch

On Sunday Venezuelans will go to the polls to vote on constitutional reforms proposed by Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president.

Eva Golinger talks to Sir David from Caracas

To discuss the proposed reforms, Sir David is joined from Caracas by Eva Golinger, a Venezuelan-American attorney, and from Washington by Jose Miguel Vivanco from Human Rights Watch.

Oksana Antonenko discusses the Russian parliamentary elections

The United Russia party looks set for a political landslide in Sunday’s polls.

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is, once again, centre-stage as the first serving president to openly campaign for a political party in parliamentary elections.

Oksana Antonenko, a Russian analyst from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, tells Sir David that the election has turned into a referendum on Putin himself as he looks for a way to continue his legacy after the presidential elections in March, where he says he will step down.

She discusses what Putin will do when he does step down, whether the elections are free and fair and what the future holds for Russia’s relations with the West.

Watch the segments on Venezuela and Russia’s elections on YouTube