NATO to Deploy Seven Hundred Troops to Kosovo in Wake of Violent Protests

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ordered the troop deployment (RFE/RL, AFP, Reuters, DPA, AP) in response to violent clashes that broke out this week during protests against the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors in a majority Serbian region. Meanwhile, the United States canceled Kosovo’s participation in ongoing NATO military exercises. Representatives of Kosovo’s largest party of ethnic Serbs said they would continue to demonstrate until the mayors are removed from office, while U.S. and NATO officials called for de-escalation.

The European Union has long mediated efforts (AP) to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, from which Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Kosovo is mostly populated by ethnic Albanians. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for Kosovo and Serbia to return to that dialogue in the wake of this week’s violence.

Analysis

“The solution is to stand down, to back away from this effort to install the mayors, and to take a deep breath,” CFR Senior Fellow Charles A. Kupchan tells RFE/RL. “There is an opportunity here to make progress on the bigger issues: the agreement [on resolving tensions between Serbia and Kosovo] that has been laid out by the European Union has potential, has momentum.”

“The unusually sharp rebuke [of canceling NATO exercises] is a blow to Kosovo, which depends on the US for financial aid and security, as well as backing in its push for further international recognition of its independence,” Bloomberg’s Andrea Dudik and Jasmina Kuzmanovic write.

Pacific Rim

Pentagon Says Chinese Jet Made “Unnecessarily Aggressive” Intercept of U.S. Spy Plane

The U.S. military released a video (CNN) of the event that it said occurred in international airspace over the South China Sea last Friday. China’s foreign ministry said that the United States was the provocateur and called for them to stop deploying reconnaissance aircraft near China.

South Korea: The government erroneously sent out an evacuation alert (NYT) for the capital city of Seoul that triggered public alarm before it was withdrawn. The alert was in response to the possibility of a North Korean missile launch.

South and Central Asia

Nepal’s Leader Begins Four-Day Trip to India

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal will discuss energy and infrastructure cooperation (India Today) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is his first bilateral trip abroad since assuming office last December.

Afghanistan/Qatar: Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada held secret talks with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani earlier this month regarding international concern over the Taliban’s bans on womens’ education and employment, Reuters reported.

Middle East and North Africa

Air Strike in Lebanon Kills Five Palestinian Fighters

Palestinian officials said Israel was behind today’s attack (AP), which Israel denied. The strike targeted a Syria-backed Palestinian group in eastern Lebanon.

U.S./Oman/Iran: A senior advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden made a low-profile visit to Oman earlier this month to discuss the two countries’ possible roles in helping to broker a deal with Iran to freeze parts of its nuclear program, Axios reported.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sudanese Official Says Army Suspended Cease-Fire Talks

Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan pulled out of talks (AFP) that had guaranteed a tenuous truce for just over a week, a Sudanese official said. The cease-fire between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had been extended on Monday for an additional five days after being repeatedly violated.

This In Brief by CFR’s Mariel Ferragamo and Diana Roy details the extent of Sudan’s humanitarian crisis.

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe’s foreign ministry summoned the U.S. deputy ambassador (AP) to the country over tweets from the embassy that called for peaceful and credible elections.

Europe

U.S. Urges Turkey to Lift Opposition to Swedish NATO Accession

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “the time is now” (WaPo) for Turkey to lift its opposition to Sweden's accession to NATO. Turkey has stalled over objections to Sweden’s handling of individuals that Ankara says are Kurdish militants.

This Backgrounder by CFR’s Jonathan Masters looks at NATO.

Americas

UNICEF: Youth Crossings of Colombia-Panama Border Increased Eightfold in Early 2023

A record 25,431 children and teenagers entered Panama via its jungle border (Reuters) with Colombia between January and April of this year, the United Nations Childrens’ Fund said. In 2022, crossings by minors numbered just over three thousand during the same period.

This photo essay by CFR’s Diana Roy shows migrants making the arduous journey through the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama.

Peru: Unusually high rainfall in March has exacerbated an outbreak of dengue fever that has killed at least 114 people (WaPo) in the country’s worst outbreak to date, Peruvian health officials said.

United States

House of Representatives to Vote on Debt Deal

The compromise between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the national debt impasse was narrowly approved yesterday (NYT) by the House Rules Committee. It will go to the full House for a vote this afternoon.

Council on Foreign Relations

58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065

1777 F Street, NW — Washington, DC 20006

Shop the CFR Store

Forward This Email

Manage Your Email Preferences