Pope francis and archbishop of the Russian Orthodox church. The conflict hasnt finished. I personally believe the Ukrainian Military are needed. A year afterward. The minsk ceasefire. And the riots in athens by bailout lenders. Good evening im antonio mora. This is Al Jazeera America cps International Newsnews hour. Tonight, we begin with Bashar Alassad says he supports the effort to bring about a ceasefire in his country but he vows to retake all of his country no matter how hard it takes. Russias Prime Minister offered some advice. Dimitri medvedev warned about sending forces into syria, doing so i. T. Could spark another world war. For now its mainly syrias war backed up by grim numbers, more than 11 of the prewar population has either been killed or wounded in the past five years. Assad says the fighting could continue for a long time. Translator we have fully believed in negotiations, and in political action, since the beginning of this crisis. However, if we negotiate, it does not mean that we stop fighting terrorism. The two traction are inevitable in syria. First through negotiations and second through fighting terrorism. Assad added that a solution in syria will come at a heavy price. The United States was quick to offer an official response to assad, state Department Spokesman mark toner was blunt in his assessment. Look, i mean hes deluded if he thinks that theres a military solution to the conflict in syria. Weve seen this wax and wane over now five years. But all were looking at, if the Syrian Regime continues the fighting, is more bloodshed. More hardship. And frankly, a greater hardening of position he on either side. For more on the u. S. Response to whats happening in syria heres al jazeeras National Security correspondent jamie mcintire. If you cut through all the diplospeak, the groundwork for a singl successful meeting is he russians define ceasefire. Under the agreement hashed out between Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and u. S. Secretary of state john kerry, air strikes will continue but some groups will no longer be targeted. To that end we have also established a task force under the auspices of the u. N. And cochaired by russia and the United States. And over the coming week this group will work to develop the modalities for a long term comprehensiven and durable cessation of violence. Of hostilities. Reporter both sides have already grad that i. S. I. L. And the el nusra front are legitimate targets, both having been designated as terrorist groups by the u. N. So any eventually ceasefire will have no effect on the u. S. Led antii. S. I. L. Air war. There is no being voint that we need to cease. Rarely strikes i. S. I. L. Targets and instead has been primarily focused on rebel groups opposed to the assad regime. Russia insists its battling terrorists as it bottom bard bos strongholds such as aleppo. Which isnt being hit by i. S. I. L. Russia says it welcomes military cooperation with the United States while the pentagon accuses russia of bombing indiscriminate that thely and lying about it. The pentagon says the temporary cessation of battle, allows for humanitarian flow of besieged cities, but moscow also sees this as a big win. It puts russia in charge of the flow of humanitarian aid. It gives it another week to solidify battlefield gains and levers Bashar Alassad even more firmly in power. Jamie mcintire at the pentagon. The discussions in munich have had no effect on syria at least at present. Zeina khodr has more. Rebels understand the need to hold ground, if they do thought, the government will be one step further to aleppo city, where tens of thousands of people live. The opposition is trying to prevent its stronghold from being besieged. Translator they are killing us but we will remain steadfast. We are still on the front lines. We will liberate every inch of territory they exushed. We woncaptured. We are here. Reporter within a week the bombardment is supposed to stop but being received with skepticism on the ground. Translator i dont think the International Community represented by the u. S. And russia is serious about a ceasefire for now. They postpone peace talks to give the regime more opportunity to gain more ground. Reporter the government is on the offensive in more than one quarter in syria. The aerial bombardment is only intensifying and the casualties are rising. The rebels no longer control supply license into their strongholds and the u. N. Is warning, the 125,000 inside risk hunger and disease. They have told us they have little faith in the Syrian Government and its backer russia. They say the munich talks will only force the armed groups to surrender. But a pause in the fighting and the delivery of many needed aid to the of much needed aid cannot come fast enough for the people. The battle for aleppo has according to the United Nations left more than 50,000 homeless adding to the millions who have been displaced over the years. Translator what have the people done to deserve this . They are not sparing anyone, not the children, not the elderly, this is enough. The conflict has laid waste to. Of aleppo and syria. In this deeply divided country claims of victory will have little meaning for anyone without a wider peace. Zeina khodr, al jazeera, southern turkey. Defense secretary ash carter has said the uae has offered to send more fighters to syria. The u. S. Ally will help train sunni arab fighters focused on capturing raqqa from i. S. I. L. Iran and saudi arabia clarified their intentions in the region. Al jazeeras dominic kane. A dominant theme here at the Munich Security Conference on its first day of deliberations. A succession of speakers chose to stress the dangers posed by terrorism and the Islamic State of iraq and the levant, the Saudi Foreign minister also spoke about why it was fundamental to combat daesh, i. S. I. L, but he also had a very pointed message for syrian president Bashar Alassad. In syria we are working to bring about change, political change, if possible. To what is happening in syria, in order to remove a man who is responsible for the murder of 300,000 people, the displacement of 12 million, and the destruction of a inflation. A man who has who is the single most effective magnet for extremists and terrorists in the region. The main backer iran has been steadfast in its support for him since the arab spring began. Here at the Munich Security Conference on friday, in zarif said it was upon that iran could find some sort of arrangement with the saudi arabiaian saudi n government but a new paradigm needed to be found to let that happen. Thinking about their own future rather than setting the parameters on what they need to do. We should also agree that iran and saudi arabia cannot seclude each other from the region. Iran and saudi arabia can accommodate each other in the region if they each define their specific interests in all these places. Arbut that specific interest in order to be accommodated should not be the exclusion of the other party. The mood music has suggested that Everyone Wants obinding solution to the syria crisis but the question remains whether whats being discussed and agreed here will translate to reality on the ground. Dominic kane in munich. The European Union is giving greece three months to tighten its borders and slow the influx of refugees. If it fails the eu is threatening to suspend greece from its passport free zone. A Commission Says greece has been improperly registering refugees. Canada says it is on track owelcome 25,000 Syrian Refugees by march. So far the countrys expedited program to process refugees has taken in more than half of those promised. Daniel lak reports. Pediatrician anna has been treating newly arrived migrants in toronto for two years now but her patient list is overwhelmingly syrian. Translator weve had a great welcome from the canadian government and the red cross has helped us so much. The organization that runs this clinic is helping us with the kids allowances and paperwork then we can look for a house and settle in. Reporter getting them vaccinated is crucial for starting english classes in the citys schools, then making sure everyone has the right clothes for winter, thats where the Community Comes in. These toys books were donated. My husband that you hear shouting, hes a big reason why we got involved in the initiative. Hes syrian from damascus damascus. Very early on this the conflict he lost his uncle and a cousin in a car bomb. There in person was the new canadian Prime Minister, pierre trudeau. It is becoming difficult to find permanent housing. Its been a long journey from displacement, but for hundreds of Refugee Families this represents a new start whatever the difficulties in finding them a permanent place to live. Here too the public is stepping up. Canada allows private sponsorship of refugees, Community Groups raising money to help families. This community is looking for volunteers and theres plenty of interest doing more. Going directly to syrian families stuck in Hotels Offering to set them up with accommodation, the bath for a new life. We need to look for a family to sponsor for a year, we are approved to do that. We are all registered with the volunteer organization we are working with were all set and lets go. Sliding down a snowy hill in a individual joe that went viral early this month. So far, the new arrivals have adjusted very well. Daniel lak, al jazeera. A confidential u. N. Report, accuses nearly 250,000 people have fled the violence in in burundi, more than 75,000 of them entering rwanda. When burundis president decided to seek a third term his opponents believe is unconstitutional. Popes unpress tented meeting with the Russian Orthodox church. Shared message for the world. Tough action to stop north Koreas Nuclear program. Pope francis arrived in mexico tonight for a five day visit. Earlier in the day he made history in havana with a first of its kind meeting. Pope francis shook hands with the head of the Russian Orthodox church. The two men exchanged hugs and kisses, called themselves brothers. They said the meeting was expression of the world within them. Joint declaration issued after a three hour meeting at the International Airport in havana the two talked about the despair in the world, common goal to work towards a solution that would combat what they called the extermination of christians in the middle east and north africa. They sited iraq and syria specifically, said the International Community needed to work to bring an end to the violence and the terrorism. Wide scale humanitarian aired to refugees. Both leaders mentioned that they have sympathy for other faiths that have also been impacted bin the violence in the region and they promoted this notion of interfaith dialogue. Now this entire meeting has been framed as a way to yooufnt the o sides. Patriarch is closely aligned with russian president vladimir putin. Its likely putin signed off on this meeting, at a time when russia is isolated from the west due to its actions in ukraine and syria. An attempt by russia to raise the profile in the west. Miguel diaz is a former u. S. Ambassador to the holy see. Joinings us from chicago. Ambassador very good to see you. The poach greeted the patriarch by saying, finally brother, given the great schism between the catholic and orthodox churches, almost a thousand years ago, that is putting it mildly. Why now . There are many factors that contribute to the historic meeting. Very interesting that it takes place or took place in havana which the pope called the crossroads between east, west, north and south. But i primar primarily see thiss pope is very much in line with the three themes of his papacy which have to do with first of all in this year of mercy, the proclamation of mercy, and the cultivation of mercy. Two, a culture of encounter and three, the marginalized those who suffer, in a globalization of indifference. Given those three themes it is no surprise that in light of the state of christians in the middle east and in africa that these two figures would try come together and try in different ways to bring about a mediation of peace and also, an leask lean oanalleviation of human needs. Especially in ukraine, proselytizing. In respect to religious differences and in terms of respecting each others traditions. I think theres plenty of justification at leets to say well, if we take time together thee logically, that is the work of thee lodgans, we might be able to build consensus he can you a mehe canyou a menhe ca cli. He can consensus ecumenically. This is why i mentioned in diplomacy everyone tries to bring something to the table and everyone tries to you know get something out of whatever it is whatever deal is reached. And so i do think that u. N. That all those factors are also, you know, factors to consider in this kind of meeting but for the roman conflict church and for the pope this has been something particularly in the form of suffering of christians in the middle east, if the pope sees this as a way to alleviate human suffering he sees some relief in trying to but do you see the pope is trying to move rudd, the patriarch has been openly against the moves in ukraine and syria is the pope reaching out to the are country now . In terms of the loss of religion in society many terms in the world, and again primarily the issues of suffering and the plight of immigrants, i think this is part of the difference of this particular pope in terms of how he sees you know the time will tell but in terms of how he sees the ability to change minds an hearts. And he is opting for this cultural of encounter, mercy, and engagement and preferential option for the poor and the marginalized and i think hes banking on the possibility that you know, because this is a christian practice, that in the long term, this has the best chance of yielding the kinds of stability of peace that the church seeks in the image of christ. Former u. S. Ambassador to the vatican manuel diaz, thank you for being with us. Thank you so much. Pope francis arrived in mexico, during his five day stay hes examined to raise some sensitive issues that the government would rather avoid. Adam rainey has the story. One more tangible, to see mexico city cured of the being overcome by the corruption. Translator i urge you to fight against trafficking, war, division, against organized crime against human struggling ling. Mexico, for tens ever millions of people here there is excitement for mexicos political leaders though there is discomfort as pope francis is expected to point out some of their failings. One official was asked was the pope concerned about the words . The pope comes to a mexico which in some parts is in crisis. The case of the 43 students who went missing now believed to be dead through attention to the plight of many mexicans who simply disappear. Many believe the government has done little to find them. A country that has seen so much death after drug raids. He will travel to the southern part of chiappas, and travel to the u. S. Border to show the polite of fieg rabts. The pope at a picked thee places because the weather,. Father, alejandro is considered too croakal of th vo. Government would rather keep in the dark, the government plans on keeping things hidden. Even though the pope, some solace or those whose faith has been so severely tested. Adam rainey in mexico city. Mpleghts being worldwide effort to contain the zika virus an exaggeration. An uncertainty in ukraine, millions are living in economic limbo while focused on syrias civil war. Welcome back to Al Jazeera America im antonio mora, coming up in this half hour of intrrve internatio, china wants north korea to pay for its Nuclear Ambitions. But first a look at the stories making headlines across the u. S. In our american minute. From wung at peoplswung at peopt emachete. Michigan governor ricks getting his day in congress. Explaining his administrations actions with regard to the water problems in flints. The date for a hearing has not been announced. The white house says president obama has designated three new National Monuments in the desert areas of southeastern california. They cover nearly 2 million acres and would double the amount of sensitive lands hes protected as president. Senator Dianne Feinstein has asked him to use his powers under federal law to create the new mo mojave snow and other ar. A move analysts, month earlier, pyongyang conducted its fourth underground nuclear test. The bill is now awaiting president obamas signature. Pyongyangs Nuclear Ambition has drawn the ire of the most important ally. North korea pay the necessary price. Translator in taking further steps and adopting a new and further sanctions resolution, the u. N. Security council should have an objective, to curb the dprks nuclear and missile technology. North korea has been under sanctions since its first test in 2006. World Health Organization has said in a matter of weeks it should be able to connect the zika virus with newborning rg issues. This is the first zika patient,. The symptoms made me believe i had contracted dengue fever because zika virus was only found recently. Infection of the virus is not life threatening for adults, but it is a concern for pregnant women because it is a strong link to babies formed with deformities. More effective tes