Interview with UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon

In our aim to get the best interviewees to share their views with the listener, here you can listen to interviews with the prominent people in global politics.

The BBC's Laura Trevelyan spoke to the new UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and asked would he be the secretary or the general of the U.N?

The situation in Iraq has become "much worse" than a civil war, the outgoing United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, told the BBC's Lyse Doucet. In this frank interview Mr Annan discusses issues such as Iraq, his regrets and the UN's future.

Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud talks about his country's stability, assassinations and enemies in an in-depth conversation with the BBC's Kim Ghattas.

Is the glimmer of hope fading for Uganda? In this interview the BBC's Mike Wooldridge speaks frankly to Uganda's President, Yoweri Museveni and sees how much he is willing to compromise to secure peace.

Owen Bennett Jones spoke to John B Bellinger III, legal adviser to Condoleeza Rice, discussing the controversial issues such as torture, waterboarding, CIA actions and coercion.

Floodings, drought, largest migration of refugees in history. Some of the stark warnings on climate change from Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist for the World Bank, who headed a report sponsored by the British government.

Is Syria ready to talk peace with Israel? In a rare and extensive interview, our World Affairs Editor, John Simpson, asked Syria's President Bashar al-Assad exactly that.

Kazakhstan's oil, gas and coal supplies have given it a strong economic structure; but what about its democratic structure? The BBC's Natalia Antelava spoke to President Nazarbayev about this and how he plans to make Kazakhstan one of the fifty most developed states?

In a rare interview with we talk to Belarus' President Alekasandr Lukashenko about political prisoners, why Belarus is strenthening ties with Venezuela and does he feeel isolated in Europe?

BBC's Roger Hearing spoke to President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, on whether he thought the peace talks between the Tamil Tigers and the government would actually happen.

Mariella Castro, niece to Cuban leader Fidel Castro, talks about politics and gay rights in Cuba.

What is the basis of the US claim that the IAEA report does show that the Iranian programme is aimed at producing not just nuclear energy but also weapons? Greg Schulte is the US Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

As oil supplies are dangerously dwindling we speak to Raymond Orbach, Under Secretary for Science at the US Department of Energy on the economics and the future of energy.

Before the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Michael Jackson retires he has given us an insightful interview on the controversial issues he has been involved with, ranging from Afghanistan deployment, the ongoing situation in Iraq and the conflict in Lebanon.

Former Israeli Foreign minister and Likud member of parliament, Silvan Shalom talks about his nightmarish reality for Lebanon.

In a new interview with U.N. Deputy Secretary General, Mark Malloch Brown, he addresses the criticisms of how the United Nations are tackling the fighting in Lebanon

In an enlightening interview, the BBC's Ali Gee speaks to HIV positive AIDS campaigner Nkhensani Mavasa and Annie Lennox, one of the campaigners of 'Make Poverty History'.

We speak to the man who organised Live8, Bob Geldof, and other campaigners have been watching closely to see if world leaders' promises to Africa are being kept. Their group DATA has just published its first report and we see if Africa is developing and which country is on track to keeping their 2010 promises.

Is the Iraqi Government prepared to negotiate insurgents there? Dr.Adil Abdul Mahdi is Iraq's Vice President and he tells us more.

Does Ghana's win in the World Cup against the US symbolise Africa competing with the more industrialised West? We ask an excited President of Ghana, John Kufuor.

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director of strategy, plans and policy for Cent Com talks to us frankly about Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia in this revealing interview

Panama's Vice President, Samuel Lewis talks to the BBC's Dan Damon about the controversial plans for the Panama Canal.

How do you sell your country's policies to a global audience? This is a question for U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes, who spoke to BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones.

In an in-depth interview, South African President Thabo Mbeki discusses the strengths, weaknesses of the African nations and what role South Africa should play in their futures?

Former Chief UN weapons inspector in Iraq, Hans Blix, gives his assessment of Iran's nuclear programme.

We meet Ségolène Royal, who is fighting Nicolas Sarkozy for French President. If she wins she would become the first female President of France.

President Ahmadinejad has said Iran would pursue uranium enrichment in defiance of any pressure from outside. As the global pressure is mounting on Iran we speak exclusively to Alaeddin Boroujerdi, Leader of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Relations Committee

The New Yorker's investigative journalist Seymour Hersh tells us more of America's plans for Iran.

BBC's Carrie Gracie asked Francis Fukuyama if his groundbreaking thesis, "The End of History", was wrong?

With the three major political parties in the running for the Israeli election, former Israeli justice minister and one of Mr Olmert's closest political allies, Dan Meridor, talks about Middle East tensions and Kadima's popularity.

Is political freedom in Egypt getting worse? Egyptian Prime Minister, Ahmed Nazif spoke to World Today's Middle East reporter, Keith Adams.

With elections in Peru imminent we speak to the current President, Alejandro Toledo, on the country's future.

In this extended interview we speak to Mark Malloch Brown as he embarks on his new role, as United Nations Deputy Secretary-General.

As Oil prices continue to rise we speak to Armaco's Hiba Dialdin, to look ahead and predict how long the reserves might last and what it is like for a woman working in Saudi?

The leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal spoke to us on now Hamas was the legitimate power in Palestine, would they renounce violence.

In a rare interview, Fergus Nichol put the IAEA's allegations of Iran's nuclear programme to the Ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asgar Soltaneih.

As controversy over Iran continues, the World Today's Fergal Nicoll spoke to Iran's Oil Minister, Ambassador Syed Kazem Ham'aneh.

John Edwards former vice-presidential candidate and now director of the Center for Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina, USA, tells us why that in the richest country in the world, there is an increasing number of people living in poverty?

Mohamed El Baradei, the head of the IAEA in Vienna talks about the crisis points for the West and Iran's nuclear programme.

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Exclusive Extended Interviews For 2005