Interpol meets to select new president after leader’s arrest in China

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Interpol member-states are gathering in Dubai to select a new president after the agency’s former leader was detained in China.

Meng Hongwei— who was China’s vice minister of public security while also leading Interpol — went missing while on a trip to China in September. It later emerged that the long-time Communist Party insider with decades of experience in China’s security apparatus was detained as part of a wider anti-corruption sweep.

Interpol’s annual general assembly began on Sunday and runs until Wednesday, when member-states will vote on a new president for the coming year.

Interpol member-states will also be deciding whether to accept Kosovo as a full member, which would allow officials there to file red notices of arrest for Serbian officials that Kosovo considers war criminals. /ee