Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Tuesday the arrest of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, calling it "good news for the entire Balkans."

"This is an historic moment," she said in a statement distributed by her spokesman. "Victims can rest assured that grave human-rights breaches will not go unpunished." Germany has repeatedly pressed for Karadzic's prosecution for war crimes.

"Karadzic's arrest is good news for the entire Balkans. It is a key step towards justice, peace and reconciliation in the region," the chancellor's statement said.

She said Serbia's President Boris Tadic had "emphasized the European vocation of Serbia through this courageous step." (dpa)