diplomacy news stories on Newser

'Regret' vs. 'Apology': Difference Is Big to Pakistan

John Johnson — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:58:05 CDT

The Wall Street Journal offers a peek into the world of diplo-speak and semantics today. Its story examines how US officials have struggled for six months with a vexing question—whether to formally apologize to Islamabad for a November attack that killed 24 Pakistani troops at the Afghan border. The...

Clinton Dangles Aid to Burma

Kevin Spak — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:54:17 CST

Hillary Clinton had what she described as a “candid, productive” meeting with Burma President Thein Sein and other officials in Naypyitaw today, offering support for more aid to the country, and dangling the possibility that the US might lift sanctions and station an ambassador there for the first time in...

Pakistan Envoy to US Booted Over Memo

Kevin Spak — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:42:26 CST

Pakistan named Sherry Rehman as its new ambassador to the US today after its old one—the well-regarded Hussain Haqqani—was forced to resign yesterday over an ongoing scandal known in Pakistan as “Memogate.” After Osama bin Laden’s death, Haqqani allegedly sent a memo urging the US to prevent a...

Turkey: 'It Is Time Israel Pays a Price'

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 07:21:39 CDT

Turkey is expelling its Israeli ambassador and cutting military ties with Israel over Israel's refusal to apologize for last year's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla . Turkey's foreign minister said today that his country is downgrading diplomatic ties to the level of second secretary; the ambassador is to leave Turkey...

Netanyahu Doesn't Budge

John Johnson — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:32:46 CDT

President Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu said reassuring things about US-Israeli relations today, but Netanyahu's list of deal-breakers made clear the two leaders remain far apart on the elements of a peace deal with Palestinians, reports the New York Times . Notably, Netanyahu rejected Obama's suggestion of a return to 1967 borders...

Egypt Bolsters Relations With Iran, Hamas

Matt Cantor — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:27:05 CDT

As Egypt regroups after Hosni Mubarak’s exit, it is realigning its diplomatic ties: Officials plan to end the Gaza border blockade and forge closer ties with Iran and Hamas. As elections approach, officials say they’re working toward policies that better fit public opinion; meanwhile, they hope to regain influence in...

Ex-Congressman to Meet With Gadhafi in Libya

John Johnson — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:29:30 CDT

A former GOP congressman is in Libya today to meet with Moammar Gadhafi to try to persuade him to step down, reports CNN . "I’ve met him enough times to know that it will be very hard to simply bomb him into submission," writes Curt Weldon in a New York Times...

US Ambassador to Mexico Quits Over Cables Flap

Mark Russell — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 06:44:20 CDT

WikiLeaks has toppled its highest-ranking US official yet—the US ambassador to Mexico, Carlos Pascual. In diplomatic cables, Pascual called Mexico's police and armed forces corrupt, risk averse, inefficient, and "reliant on the United States for leads and operations," which really didn't sit well with Mexico's conservative, nationalist president Felipe...

Marc Grossman New Envoy to Pakistan, Afghanistan

Rob Quinn — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:51:57 CST

Former ambassador to Egypt Marc Grossman will be coming out of retirement to take up one of the toughest jobs in diplomacy, administration officials say. Grossman, after months of wrangling between the White House and the State Department, is to become the new special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, filling...