13/12/2011 GMT with George Alagiah

Europe's leaders' line-up to criticised Britain's David

Cameron's veto at last week's summit. His own charter Hu his

British bulldog spirit, but in Europe Mr Cameron is accused of

poor diplomacy. In politics there is one golden rule - you only walk

away if you are sure that the others will come after you to win

Hello and welcome to GMT. I'm George Alagiah. Also in the

programme: The Syrian crackdown amounts to crimes against humanity.

A senior UN official calls for Security Council action.

Freedom for a nation but where is the freedom for women? The Libyan

fight for equality. If his early washing -- early

morning in Washington, may be in Britain and one in the afternoon in

Strasbourg, home to the European Union Parliament. That is where

Europe's leaders have been venting their frustration over Britain's

veto at last week's summer. One senior MEP said that David Cameron

had made the cardinal diplomatic error of taking a stand without

knowing if anyone would follow him. Emily Buchanan has the details.

Britain's coalition government under strain as never before. The

Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, has attacked the Prime Minister's

veto of the new European treaty bus-stop the question hanging over

Tuesday's Cabinet meeting is whether he has opened a warned that

can be healed. Eurosceptics are celebrating. -- open a warned. The

leader of the UK Independence Party said that Britain should end years

of bowing to Europe as it already has little influence at the top

table. When a British Prime Minister goes to a summit with a

very modest proposal to protect I uniquely British Industry,

President Sarkozy tells him where to go, with German approval, of

course, and we find ourselves without a friend in the room.

A but Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberal group, condemned the

British decision. David Cameron will also come to the conclusion

that he made a blunder. If he really wanted, Cameron, to obtain

additional guarantees for the City, he needs to be at the negotiation

table. The leader of the Conservatives and reformists group

backed the British Prime Minister, saying he was simply defending his

country. What Mr Cameron did was just a defence of his country's

national interest, in the same way... In the same way like Mr

Sarkozy and Angela Merkel bid. They pretend that they were speaking on

behalf of Europe, but they were speaking on behalf of themselves or

only. This was one man who was actually present at the historic

all-night negotiations last Friday. Jose Manuel Barroso argued that UK

demands made compromise impossible. The United Kingdom, in exchange for

giving its agreement, asked for a specific protocol on financial

services which, as presented, was addressed to the integrity of the

internal market. While debate focuses on the future structure of

Europe, all parties agree that the Continent's deep economic crisis is

far from solved. Let's get more from our Europe

correspondent, Chris Morris. Emily Buchanan was being careful to

balance the views on David Cameron's action last week, but

where would you say the weight of opinion lies on this? I think the

weight of opinion blames Britain across Europe for preventing a

treaty change involving all 27 EU member states, which would have

been I think the most satisfactory outcome for everyone, including

David Cameron, but obviously he did not get the safeguards he was

looking for and he deemed it impossible. There is a broad

feeling that this is a moment of crisis for Europe because of the

sovereign debt crisis and they were hoping for more solidarity from the

United Kingdom. I think they underestimated the strength of

political feeling on the Prime Minister's backbenches and the

underestimated his determination to back the city. We have heard from

most leaders that the damage is not going to be damage which cannot be

recovered. Jose Manuel Barroso said today that the situation was

certainly unfortunate but he took heart from the fact that, in the

British parliament yesterday, the British Prime Minister said he was

still determined to engage with the EU on a whole range of issues.

will leave it there. Thank you. In -- it might only have been the

UK that said no to a new treaty, but it took an all-night marathon

mode -- negotiating session to get the others to agree to more

centralised fiscal unification. Hungry and Sweden said they would

need to consult their parliaments, while other countries agreed they

wanted to join. How does a country like Paul and, outside the eurozone,

feel about this treaty? We are joined by Marek Magierowski, a

columnist for a Polish daily newspaper. Thank you for being with

us. Poland is like Britain - it is outside the eurozone - and yet it

has signed. Just explain that difference to us. The Polish

government decided at the beginning that it would jump in, in spite of

the fact that we do not yet know what the details are. I think there

is an interesting and inspiring debate in Europe right now or about

the preponderance of federalism overstates of and trade -- over

state sovereignty. Nowadays sovereignty is being redefined and

we have to ask ourselves the question. To what extent do we want

to redefine our notion of sovereignty? Are we ready to fund

the United States of Europe? To what extent are we ready to shed

our sovereignty in order to create a new political entity? This is a

really potent question for a country like Poland. It spent all

that time trying to shake off dominance by one superpower, the

Soviet Union. We all remember Solidarity and so on. Now here is a

government that seems quite happy to have its budget scrutinised by

technocrats in Brussels, people who are effectively not elected. It is

being hotly debated in Poland right now. I do not agree with those

people who say that we are selling Poland for a pittance to the EU.

That is unfair. On the other hand, I understand those people who feel

that Paul and being free and independent since 1989, 22 years,

and it is a little premature up, maybe, to discuss this kind of

redefinition of sovereignty. have to leave it there. Marek

Magierowski, thank you very much for your time.

Let us take a look at some of the other stories making the headlines.

Clashes between Syrian security forces and soldiers who have

defected to the opposition are said to be intensifying in the north of

the country. Syrian activists have told the BBC that defectors have

called seven soldiers in one province in an apparent revenge

attack after 11 civilians were killed by government forces earlier

today. At the UN, the Security Council has heard that more than

5,000 people have been killed since March. Navi Pillay said that Syria

should be referred to the International Criminal Court.

Our correspondent joins me from Istanbul. Let us look at that

report from Navi Pillay at the UN. Is it possible to say with any real

accuracy exactly how many people have been killed? It is said that

the figure is now 5,000. A lot of people on the ground or on the side

of the opposition but they do try to ascertain names, places and

circumstances where people have died, it is not a random process.

Navi Pillay appeared to ten days, giving an estimate of around 4,000

dead but saying that she believed the figure was probably

significantly higher. It was no surprise to hear her say that she

thinks the figure has gone up. The violence is very intense now. We

have had new figures produced by local activists. One group on whom

we rely say they have a record of 452 people being killed in the last

two weeks of November. These are reasonable figures, and the Syrian

government can complain all it likes. Yes, people at the UN Human

Rights Commission are reliant on opposition sources to a large

extent, but there is a lot of detail and Documentation that goes

in to back these reports. It seems that the government has almost gone

beyond caring. We heard last week in an interview that the President

gave that it was a game. I think if there UN membership was seriously

in question they would care. The Security Council is the one organ

that has the potential to act in a decisive way. The fact that Navi

Pillay was allowed to address the UN Security Council and that her

testimony clearly swayed a lot of the diplomats there, even the

Russians, who are firmly against the idea. When it comes to the

reaction to the human rights abuses that would detail, -- that were

detailed, they are in accord with the other members. The question is

whether an intervention would be effective. Big bodies that are

involved, like the Arab League, are not united on how they should treat

Syria. That is why President Assad is continuing on his course. I do

not think there is any doubt that he is worried. The one thing he

will have to watch for is the slope humbling of his economy. -- the

slow crumbling. Pakistani police say they have

rescued some 50 students found in chains in the basement of an

Islamic school in the southern port school of Karachi. Two clerics have

been arrested but their head of the Institution managed to escape.

Police have launched a full-scale investigation which will also look

at potential links with militants. At least 15 children have died in a

bus crash in the eastern China on Monday. The bus fell into a ditch.

This is the latest in a series of such disasters on the country's

roads and have board -- happen the day after the Government issued

strict new guidelines regarding safety on school buses.

Burma's government has legalised Aung San Sue Kyi's party. This

paves the way for Aung San Sue Kyi to stand in a parliamentary by-

election next year. Some news just breaking in the last

few minutes or so - news agencies in Belgium are reporting that a man

has thrown explosives in the city centre of Liege.

What details they have? A very few bits of information to

pass on. We understand that the attack has happened in the last

couple of hours. This city is about 70 miles to the east of Brussels.

Witnesses, according to local news agencies, say that a man perhaps in

his 40s seems to have thrown four explosive devices at a bus in the

city centre, possibly killing himself and one other and

potentially enduring 10 other people. Large areas of the city

remained cordoned off. We will leave it there. Thank you

very much. We will bring you more on that if

and when we get it. Still to come: Matching skills to

jobs - how one country seems to be Let us concentrate on one company

now. Olympus. Their chief Executive was described as of whistleblower.

It is a fascinating story. Michael Woodford is the British chap who

was ousted as chief Executive of so back in October because he blew the

whistle on an accounting scam at the company. He is now back in

Tokyo today. He is trying to persuade investors to get his old

job back and get rid of the very bored that got rid of him and which

have been described as very closed and secretive. It is a crucial time

for the company which risks being removed from the Tokyo Stock

Exchange. I asked the Japanese expert earlier why they hired an

outsider in the first place. Recently it has been Poplar to hire

these foreign chief Executive officers because they can go for it

restructuring which the Japanese bosses cannot do. Japan is a system

of consensus management, managers who have worked in the company all

their lives. In our auditing, it does not work. External

directorship does not work. Over in America, the Fed is about to make

some announcements. There have in their last meeting for the year. No

one is expecting any change to the near zero interest rate. They make

use other tools to boost the economy, including the setting of a

formal inflation target. They do not do that in America. But the

American economy is showing some moderate signs of growth. All eyes

and ears will be on the statement that follows that announcement.

They probably will still keep the downside risk in their statement.

Largely because of the euro-zone debt crisis which I think will keep

them on their toes. We cannot escape the euro-zone debt crisis.

Let's take a look at the market. A shove down on the back of that. And

the European Markets are up slightly but the euro-zone is the

focus. What they want is action by the European Central Bank but we

have not yet heard a peep on that. And don't forget, for more on the

reaction to UK's decision to veto treaty changes, you can head to our

website. There you'll find further analysis on the mood at the

European Parliament from BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Strasbourg. This

is GMT from BBC World News. I'm George Alagiah. The headlines.

European politicians have criticised Britain for showing a

lack of solidarity during the European financial crisis. The

United Nations Human Rights chief says Styria it should be referred

to the International Criminal Court for its reaction to anti-government

protests. It's nearly two months since

Colonel Gadaffi was captured and killed, and the interim government

in Libya finally declared the revolt over. As the country returns

to something like normality, the women of Libya are demanding a much

bigger stake in the traditionally male dominated society.

Our world affairs correspondent Caroline Hawley reports from

Tripoli. This woman is a consultant

paediatrician. She also helps smuggle drugs to treat the wounded

during the war. Now she wants to battle for a better role for women

in the new Libya. Maybe we will kick the men from power a little

bit. If I have a dream to be a politician, I will make it come

true. And to think that really is possible now? There are good

chances, yes. Women are certainly finding their

voice. This was a demonstration outside the office of the Prime

Minister. They are refusing to leave until they see him. The

Wadmore to be done for the women raped during the war. In his

conservative society, rape is seen as the ultimate shame. These women

want the silence broken and tougher penalties for rapists. And that is

just one of their demands. Women's groups are pressing for a 40% quota

for the committee that will be set up after elections next year to

write a new constitution. They head two added 26 ministries. They say

it is a start, but not enough. It is still the men who make the

political decisions here. It is not just entrenched attitudes that

women are up against. Everyone now is trying to sell their point of

view and that means religious hardliners as well as supporters of

women's rights. This woman says she feels like a bird who has been let

out of a cage. With the Gadaffi regime gone she can finally express

herself. This is the time that women's rights activists say they

can write their own future. TRANSLATION: you'll see next year,

God willing, the future will be bright for Libyan women.

The rebirth of Libya after 40 years of Gadaffi's rule has brought a

sense of great opportunity here. But what will the future deliver

for a new generation of girls? Well, the Eurozone isn't just

politics. Most worrying is the impact the financial crisis is

having on young people who have never worked after leaving fulltime

education. And all this week we're focussing on what's called the lost

generation. Today we look at matching skills and jobs. It's a

feat that many countries fail to pull off. But there is one European

country which has succeeded. Our European Business correspondent

Nigel Cassidy reports from the south of Germany.

Learning on the job from a master craftsmen. This 19 year-old

apprentice is enjoying his three- year apprenticeship at the Mercedes

Benz factory just outside Stuttgart in the southern Germany. In my

apprenticeship I'm getting a grounding in every single element

of the car including the most innovative techniques. Opening up a

lot of job opportunities for the future. Every year at this company

takes on around 2000 apprentices, one in five of them women. And nine

out of 10 will get permanent jobs. It is the system and a commitment

has continued despite the economic slowdown in Europe. It renders it -

- apprenticeship schemes do seem to work best where there are

successful industries that can plan for the long term. We have this

tradition in Germany of being loyal to the company. It is this

technology focus which we have in Germany and for that you need a

very skilled workforce. So it is a system which is supported by the

politicians and society and is supported and needed by the

companies. The German economy is export oriented and one of its

strength is high quality products and technology. You need a lot of

medium and high qualified Labour for this. And this apprenticeship

system in Germany guarantees that you have enough high and medium

qualified labourers to do these. Germany's apprenticeship schemes

have their roots in medieval guilds and serve the country well. But

elsewhere, there would not work so well as no one would employ young

people in the end. Well for more on this, we can talk to Ian

Livingstone, a big name in the games and software industry. And

co-author of the review "Next Gen - Transforming the UK into the

world's leading talent hub for the video games and visual effects

industries" published earlier this year. That report we heard about

Germany, in some ways is looking backwards to a manufacturing sector.

But you're thinking there is room for growth in other areas? I think

manufacturing in the UK is not as good as it used to be. If the

government wants to build industries for the digital economy

you have to have young people in particular with the right skills

for that. So the number one recommendation would be to modify

the national curriculum to give schools and students additional

building blocks. We need school children who are correctly equipped

because currently information technology as it is taught is all

about office skills. There's a difference between reading and

writing in computer science. concentrated on the UK but

presumably this is a challenge across the world. Which other

countries getting it right as far as the digital economy is

concerned? Well of course you have China, turning out software

engineers. Is there any point in anyone else trying? Of course. In

my opinion the UK is the most creative nation in the world if you

look out of fashion, music and of course games. We have to play to

our strengths to reach global audiences through high-speed

broadband. Games is just one example of that. We are so good at

that. We will leave it there, and you very much. -- thank you.

An update on breaking news from Belgium. Reports say that a man has

detonated explosives in the City of Liege. He wounded 10 people and

killed himself. It began when a man threw a grenade into the courthouse.

A further device is said to have been thrown. A second fatality is

also reported. Obviously that news still just coming in to BBC

newsrooms. More on that through the next couple of hours, as we get it.

Here on this programme we have been looking at the euro-zone crisis.