Collectively, the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Russia gave the Serbs 10 days to halt attacks on the majority ethnic Albanians in the southern Serb province, Kosovo, or face economic sanctions and a possible arms embargo. But as the deadline lapsed last week, a unified diplomatic response was in doubt. Russia campaigned against an arms embargo. A recent Serb crackdown on independence-minded guerrillas resulted in 80 deaths. U.S. diplomats say they will insist on Serb compliance in Kosovo.
Critics think otherwise.
Hong Kong residents watched last week as China's National People's Congress formally elected Zhu Rongji as premier. Washington last week sought to improve ties with China by dropping its sponsorship of a United Nations resolution chastising Beijing for its human-rights record.