USA/UN: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and United Nations, welcome Karadzic arrest

Record ID: 785158

  • Title: USA/UN: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and United Nations, welcome Karadzic arrest
  • Date: 23rd July 2008
  • Summary: (AMREP) PALE, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (FILE - JANUARY 9, 1997) (REUTERS) KARADZIC WITH MLADIC AND SERB ORTHODOX PRIEST AT CEREMONIAL BREAD BREAKING ON ST STEFAN'S DAY MLADIC KARADZIC TOASTS THE GATHERING
  • Embargoed: 7th August 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA2ZMUL8T3U9SYWK089X0WK47RJ
  • Story Text: Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright applauds Karadzic arrest, calling it a possible opening on Serbia's road to become part of Europe.
    Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright called Serbia's arrest of wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic a "positive step" but said it was only "half the story."
    She said the arrest of the man wanted over the planning and ordering of Europe's worst atrocities since World War Two was an important signal to the Europeans about Serbia's desire to cooperate with the European Union. But she said efforts to arrest Karadzic's military commander, Ratko Mladic, must continue.

    "I hope that the Europeans see this as a very positive step and that they are forthcoming, but of course, it's kind of half the story. I mean, Karadzic I think was the brains behind the operation, but Ratko Mladic was the general that carried out a lot of the killings in Srebrenica and various other parts of Bosnia, so the other shoe has to drop on this," she said.
    Albright also said the arrest would be good for the victims of the atrocities that occurred in Bosnia during the mid-90s.
    The U.S. and U.K. permanent representatives to the United Nations also welcomed the arrest.

    "I think it underlines that there is no escape from justice,"
    said John Sawers, U.K. Ambassador to the U.N., adding, "It's also a reminder that war crimes take place in every continent."
    Karadzic and Mladic were indicted for genocide over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which some 8,000 unarmed Bosnian Muslim males were murdered and bulldozed into mass graves.
    Karadzic has been served with an indictment and his lawyers have three days to appeal. He is expected to be transferred to The Hague shortly after.
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