Jansa and Rupel Welcome Arrest of Karadzic
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel welcomed on Tuesday the arrest of former Bosnian Serb leader and war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic.
"The long expected arrest, which needs to be followed by a just trial in the Hague, is an important step towards closing the final chapter of the tragic recent history of the Western Balkans. Enforcing justice, which is of special importance to the victims of war violence and their families, is the basis for sustainable reconciliation in the region," Jansa said according to a press release by is office.
Jansa hopes that the "Serbian authorities, while continuing to meet the commitments made in close cooperation with the international community, will be capable of making full use of the potential provided by the integration into the European family of nations".
Slovenia, which made a special effort during its EU presidency to give Serbia a clear European incentive, will continue to support Serbia's pursuit of its European prospects, Jansa also said.
Rupel on the other hand pointed out that recent events, especially Karadzic's arrest, validate Slovenia's decision to sign on 28 April in Luxembourg as the EU presiding country the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) as an investment into stability and peace in the Western Balkans.
Speaking ahead of today's meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council, Rupel said that the EU had set full cooperation with the Hague tribunal as a condition to Serbia. Four war crimes suspects were at large at that point. Two of them, Stojan Zupljanin and Radovan Karadzic, have been arrested since.
"The arrest of Karadzic is important above all for Serbia, for its international political credibility...The signing of the SAA was a bet on the will of Serbia to shake off the past and choose the European path," Rupel said.
Rupel finally noted that the EU also expected Serbia to arrest the remaining two suspects, including Ratko Mladic, who is accused along with Karadzic of being responsible for the gravest crimes during the Jugoslav war.
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