#SERBIA: PM Vows To Smooth Tensions With Croatia After War Criminal Found Not Guilty, Plans Visit

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic pledged to visit Croatia to ease tensions that escalated between the two countries after the acquittal of hardline nationalist war crime defendant Vojislav Seselj. Croatia has been demanding that Serbia do more to prosecute crimes against its Croatian minority, and has vowed to obstruct Belgrade’s EU entry process if Serbia doesn't comply. Vucic dismisses these threats as "unreasonable blackmail," but says the two nations must work better together.

#KOSOVO: Parliament Debates Special Courts To Deal With KLA War Crimes During 1999 War With Serbia

[world politics news]

Kosovo's national assembly is debating a constitutional amendment to set up a special court to deal with war crimes committed by the KLA during Kosovo's war for independence from Serbia in the late 1990s. The debate took place in a nearly empty hall, after Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and then Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaci left. Most LDP members of the assembly also left the sitting, Thaci strongly supports the amendment.

#RWANDA: Pres. Kagame Condemns UK After Intelligence Chief Arrested For War Crimes

[world politics news]

President Paul Kagame has accused the British government of "colonialism" and "arrogance and contempt" after the arrest of his intelligence chief, Karenzi Karake, at London's Heathrow Airport Saturday, in response to a European Arrest Warrant. Karake is accused of ordering massacres in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Pictured: Gen. Karenzi Karake.

#JAPAN: PM #ShinzoAbe Blames Newspaper for "Groundless Slander" That Wartime Japan Used Korean Sex Slaves

[world politics news]

PM Shinzo Abe blamed the Asahi Shimbun newspaper for spreading "false reports" around the world about Imperial Japan's involvement in enslaving Koreans to serve as "Comfort Women" during World War II to serve Japanese soldiers, which Abe denies. Koreans have been demanding an apology and it's an ongoing diplomatic irritation.

#SYRIA

US "Leaks" 2-Day Attack Plans on Syria "Before Obama's Russia Visit" Next Week [world politics news]

#SYRIA: Opposition Holds West, Arab League "Responsible" for Not Stopping Bloodbath

[world politics news]

The head of Syria’s main opposition group said on Saturday that U.S. President Barack Obama, Arab leaders and the international community should be held responsible for their inaction over the Syrian conflict that killed more than 100,000 people since it began more than two years ago. “I demand Obama, [French President Francoise] Hollande and [UK Prime Minister David] Cameron and leaders of Arabic countries to be responsible [for] the massacre of the Syrian people,” Ahmed al-Jarba, head of the Syrian National Council, said.

#FRANCE

Pres. Hollande Tells Obama that Assad Regime Behind Chemical Attack [world politics news]