Court to consider Mladic extradition on Friday

BELGRADE, May 27 (Itar-Tass) --The Belgrade-based war crimes court
which suspended questioning arrested Serb wartime General Ratko Mladic on
Thursday will continue extradition hearings on Friday.
On Thursday the court adjourned because of Mladic poor health, his
lawyer said.
Mladic, 69, was arrested in northeastern Serbia after 15 years on the
run from international genocide charges. He was taken to Special War
Crimes Court in Belgrade which will consider his extradition to the U.N.
tribunal in the Hague to face charges of genocide and war crimes during
the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.
Serbian President Boris Tadic announced the arrest of Mladic. "This
step is a testimony that Serbia is a state which has firmly established
the rule of law," he said at a joint news conference with EU foreign
policy commissioner Catherine Ashton.
"This removes a heavy burden from Serbia and closes a page of our
unfortunate history," Tadic said adding the arrest will "reinvigorate the
process of (EU) integration".
"This is an important day for Serbia and for those who are still
grieving for their loved ones," Ashton said.
The European Union, the United States and many other western
countries, as well as NATO and the United Nations welcomed the arrest of
Mladic.