EU welcomes Mladic arrest

"His arrest is convincing proof of Serbia's efforts and cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia," Buzek said, in a move that will also bolster Serbia’s attempts to join the EU.

The 69 year-old Mladic, who has been on the run for years, was tracked down to the small village of Lazarevo in northern Serbia, Thursday.

Serbia's President Boris Tadic confirmed the arrest at a press conference in Belgrade, saying the region was a "step closer to reconciliation”.

Poland’s defense minister Bogdan Klich stressed that justice has been done.

“This is one of the most wanted war criminals, a man with blood on his hands. His arrest symbolically closes the search of war criminals responsible for the tragedy in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Minister Klich said.

Mladic’s extradition to the Hague to face war crimes charges dating back 16 years will take around seven days, Serbian officials say.

Serbian President Boris Tadic, photo: EPA

Step forward for justice

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who by coincidence is having talks with Tadic today in the Serbian capital, said the arrest was, ”an important step forward for Serbia and for international justice".

"Today's events show that people responsible for grave violations of international humanitarian law can no longer count on impunity," said UN war crimes chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

Earlier, President Tadic said he would not be attending the Central and Eastern European summit in Warsaw tomorrow, which will be attended by President Obama, as the head of state from Kosovo was invited. Belgrade does not recognise Kosovo as an independent state after it broke away from Serbia in 2008. (pg/kk)