Rapporteur Raad van Europa: arrestatie Karadic bewijst dat andere verdachten binnen bereik zijn (en)

Note to editors - 132(2008)

"The arrest of Karad¯ic proves that the remaining indictees are within reach", says PACE rapporteur

Strasbourg, 22.07.2008 - Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) co-rapporteurs on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Serbia, Charles Goerens (Luxemburg, ALDE) and Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), today congratulated the Serbian authorities on the arrest of the war criminal Radovan Karad¯ic.

"The arrest of the Radovan Karad¯ic shortly after the arrest of another indictee Stojan Äupljanin earlier in June this year confirms that the Serbian authorities are committed to honouring their commitment with regard to the co-operation with the ICTY" said Charles Goerens. "The arrest of Karad¯ic proves that the remaining indictees are within reach. It creates a momentum for further strengthening the co-operation with the Tribunal to apprehend and bring to justice quickly all remaining indictees" continued Andreas Gross.

Both co-rapporteurs congratulated Serbia's the National Security Council chaired by President Boris Tadic, the Action Team for Co-operation with the ICTY and the Belgrade War Crimes Chamber on their successful work. They look forward to further discussing with them the progress achieved in the implementation of this commitment on the occasion of their next visit to Belgrade, within the framework of the preparation of the Assembly debate on the Honouring of obligations and commitments by Serbia to be held during the Assembly 2008 forth part-session (29 September - 3 October)

The arrest and handing over to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia of Radovan Karad¯ic, Ratko Mladic and Goran Had¯ic has been one of the key outstanding commitments of Serbia to the Council of Europe. The co-rappoteurs of the Monitoring Committee will assess the degree of implementation of this and other commitments in their draft report to be adopted by the Committee on 11 September 2008.

Link to the preliminary draft report made public on 18 March 2008

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