Servische leider Tadic biedt verontschuldigingen in Sarajevo (en)

In a visit to Bosnia, Serbia's President, Boris Tadic has asked for forgiveness for war crimes committed in the name of Serbia.

During a three-day visit, which includes a visit to the capital Sarajevo, Mr Tadic, who was appointed in June this year, urged further cooperation between the two countries.

According to the FENA news wire Mr Tadic said: "I apologize to all those that have suffered crimes in the name of the Serb people".

"The same crimes were committed against our people as well, and in this sense we all owe an apology to each other. If it is necessary, I will begin", he said.

Mr Tadic also urged Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as well as his native Serbia to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague, as a necessary step to move towards EU membership.

"In order to determine the truth, it is necessary to carry out investigations, the indicted war crime suspects must stand trial before the international institutions of justice" he said.

Cooperation with ICTY has repeatedly been urged by Brussels - a number of war crimes suspects are thought to be in Republica Srpska (in BiH) and in Serbia.

Serbia and Montenegro and BiH are the only two countries in the northern hemisphere outside NATO or EU structures, he said.