THE international community yesterday welcomed news that Bosnian Serb leader Dr Radovan Karadzic was stepping down, but it insisted that he must be made to stand trial on war crimes charges.
In Sarajevo, Mr Ejup Ganic, vice president of Bosnia's Moslem Croat federation, said Dr Karadzic's resignation was a significant step forward which had created the conditions for the September 14th elections to go ahead.
He said the move had "simplified" the arrest of Dr Karadzic who has been indicted for war crimes in Bosnia. "Now war criminals cannot hide behind any political function," he said.
In Brussels, Nato Secretary General, Mr Javier Solana, who has 50,000 plus troops in Bosnia under the Nato led peace Implementation Force (Ifor), said the move was significant but added: "Justice remains to be done."
US envoy, Mr Richard Holbrooke, speaking in Belgrade after negotiating the statement in which Dr Karadzic stepped down, from his last public positions, said both Dr Karadzic and Gen Ratko Mladic must still be made to appear at the UN tribunal.
Norway paid homage to the achievement of Mr Holbrooke, whom the Norwegian press have said is a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded in Oslo in October.
In The Hague, a spokesman for the UN tribunal described Dr Karadzic's exit from political office as belated, and insisted that the tribunal still wants his arrest. Russia, a traditional ally of the Serbs, said Dr Karadzic's resignation "satisfied the conditions" of the Dayton peace accord.
London and Paris both welcomed the news, while German Foreign Minister Mr Klaus Kinkel, called" Mr Holbrooke's announcement "an important step in the stabilisation of the peace process".
Patrick Smyth, European Correspondent, adds:
The Irish Presidency of the EU last night welcomed the outcome of the visit by Mr Holbrooke to the region. A statement issued on behalf of the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, in particular welcomes the removal from public office and the leadership of the SDS of Dr Karadzic.
The move reflects the wishes expressed recently by the EU both at the Florence summit at the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.
The presidency now hoped the development would pave the way for the successful conduct of elections in September, but, Mr Spring said, it was still crucial to see Dr Karadzic and Gen Mladic before the International Court at The Hague.