EU Foreign Ministers welcomed Karadzic’s arrest

Press release 261/2008
23 July, 2008

The European Union welcomed the arrest of war crimes suspect, former Serbian leader Radovan Karadzic in Serbia. They took the case up at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Brussels. Finland was represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb.

“Karadzic’s arrest is a positive sign of the capability of the new Serbian government to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)”, Stubb said in Brussels.

Karadzic is suspected of genocide and crimes against humanity among other crimes during the Bosnian war. Minister Stubb sees the arrest as an important step towards Serbian EU membership, but points out that not all Bosnian war crimes suspects of the 1990’s have been caught.

“One of those still to be caught is crucial: Serb commander Ratko Mladic”, Stubb said.

The Foreign Ministers again expressed their view according to which Serbia can step up its efforts to get closer to the European Union. Serbia has been promised a candidate country status if it fulfils the necessary criteria, including full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

The EU Ministers also welcomed the formation of the Serbian government. It is hoped to maintain positive relations to the European Union and to its Member States, to show its commitment to Europe and to act constructively in order to enhance the stability of Western Balkans.

More information: Mika Kaijamo, Project Assistant at Foreign Ministry, tel.+358 (0)9 1605 6204 or +358 (0)40 758 2002 and Marko Ruonala, Press Counsellor at Finland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union (Brussels), tel. +32 475 75 2072

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