Arrest important step to unblock Serb EU course

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission welcomed Wednesday's arrest of Bosnian Serb security chief Stojan Zupljanin, calling it an important step towards meeting conditions for putting Serbia's progress toward the EU on track.

"I welcome the news confirmed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) that Stojan Zupljanin has been arrested," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in a statement.

"It is an important step towards full cooperation with the ICTY, which is key to bringing justice and lasting reconciliation in the Western Balkans region."

Rehn met Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic in Brussels on Tuesday and insisted Serbia must ensure full cooperation with the U.N. war crimes tribunal to enable a so-called Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU -- the first rung on the ladder to EU entry -- to come into force.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Dale Hudson)