[…] In justifying its assault on Georgia in August, Russia has attempted to echo NATO’s military campaign to halt the systematic ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians with its own campaign based on charges of atrocities committed by Georgian forces — charges now shown to be without foundation. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has also charged the West with having a double standard by supporting independence for Kosovo but not for South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

[…] The United States is aware of Serbia’s initiative requesting that the UN General Assembly refer the question of Kosovo’s independence to the International Court of Justice. We do not support this initiative and see it as counterproductive. Kosovo’s independence is legitimate and fair, and recognizing Kosovo was the right decision to make. Kosovo’s independence contributes to greater stability in the region and allows all the states in the region to focus on their futures and on greater cooperation with the rest of Europe.

[…] The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) indicted Karadzic in July 1995 for six counts of genocide and two counts of crimes against humanity for acts he allegedly committed as leader of a breakaway Republika Srpska, which undertook a violent 1992-1995 military campaign to create a “Greater Serbia” by “cleansing” territory it seized in Bosnia and Herzegovina of its Muslim, ethnic Croat, and other non-Serb communities following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

[…] We congratulate the Government of Serbia, and thank the people who conducted this operation for their professionalism and courage. This operation is an important demonstration of the Serbian Government's determination to honor its commitment to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The timing of the arrest, only days after the commemoration of the massacre of over 7,000 Bosnians committed in Srebrenica, is particularly appropriate, as there is no better tribute to the victims of the war's atrocities.