Statement: HR’s Statement on Jankovic’s transfer

Welcoming the transfer of Gojko Jankovic to the ICTY today the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown said:

“I welcome the fact that Gojko Jankovic is finally in The Hague after nearly a decade on the run, and that the RS authorities have carried out his transfer. He stands accused of grave crimes for which he will now answer before a court of law.

Jankovic is the third indictee transferred to the ICTY this year by the Republika Srpska authorities, and the second in a period of three days. These are welcome steps forward by the RS authorities, and in notable contrast to their previous nine years of inactivity and obstruction in relation to the ICTY.

But these steps represent the start of a process. The international community will now be watching closely to see that this process on which the RS authorities have embarked continues and picks up pace. That means that the remaining indictees – including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic – must be transferred to The Hague without delay. The first steps on the road towards cooperation with the ICTY have been taken: but the journey will not be complete until every indicted war criminal from BiH is in The Hague.”