"Since there are two convictions, it would be logical to request the extradition to Croatia, but the fact is that he should be extradited to The Hague, so in consultations with the Hague (war crimes) tribunal and relevant institutions in Croatia, such as the State Prosecutor's Office, we will see what is realistic," Kosor said after a meeting of the inner cabinet.

She said it was agreed that the government would formulate a conclusion at Thursday's meeting which would first and foremost take into account that Hadzic was convicted in two trials in Croatia and that he was indicted in a third case.

"Taking into account that and Croatia's best interests, that is the best interests of all those who have been waiting for 20 years that he be brought to justice, we will put forward a conclusion to prompt all relevant institutions to consider the fact that there are two convictions against him," Kosor said, announcing talks with the State Prosecutor's Office and the Justice Ministry.

The most important thing is that he has finally been arrested, that proceedings will begin and that what the victims' families have been waiting for is finally coming true, but many will not be around for the verdict and justice in the full sense of the word, said Kosor.

Hadzic, arrested in Serbia this morning, was accused of many war crimes committed during the 1991-95 Homeland War in Croatia. He was convicted in absentia in Osijek in 1999 to eight years' imprisonment for inciting crimes, killings, the destruction of a Catholic church and the mining of non-Serb houses in Tenja in 1991 and 1992.

In 1995, the Sibenik County Court sentenced him in absentia to 20 years in prison for the shelling of the Sibenik and Vodice areas in 1992 and 1993.

In 2001, the Vukovar Prosecutor's Office indicted Hadzic and 17 other persons for crimes committed in Vukovar and for the killing of 1,292 non-Serbs in Osijek, Vukovar, Vinkovci, Zupanja and Bjelovar in 1991 and 1992.